


A Song of Ice and Fire

by AnaTheOtherAlien, Goten_Son_Ten



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Ghost Core, M/M, Pompous Pep, Redemption, Romance, from enemies to friends to lovers, future smut, slowish burn, vlad/danny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:35:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 129,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26344222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaTheOtherAlien/pseuds/AnaTheOtherAlien, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goten_Son_Ten/pseuds/Goten_Son_Ten
Summary: With High-School almost over, and his two best friends heading off to college, Danny Fenton struggles to deal with all the change around him. To make matters worse, Vlad Masters (aka, his arch-nemesis) hasn’t set forth any evil plans for him to foil in months. On edge with all the changes going on around him, Danny decides to pay the billionaire a visit and foil any plot he might have waiting.The issue? Vlad doesn’t have a plan and hasn’t had one in over a year.
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Vlad Masters
Comments: 153
Kudos: 250
Collections: Pompous Pep Discord - Our Fanfics





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! 
> 
> Welcome to our Pompous Pep story! This is a collaboration between two authors (Goten_Son_Ten and AnaTheOtherAlien). We wanted to share this with yall because there is definitely not enough Pompous Pep out there! ^_^
> 
> An important note is that this is an RP (roleplay) between these two authors. Danny’s scenes, reactions, monologue, etc is done completely by Goten_Son_Ten and all of Vlad’s scenes, reactions, monologue, etc is done completely by AnaTheOtherAlien. Note our rp style is descriptive paragraph forms, so there is a lot of detail in this rp.
> 
> Note that barely anything has been changed from our rp to this story. The only changes include flow of conversation and timing of dialogue/character interactions (those of you who rp in paragraph form probably understand this) and clarification of who is talking (inserting names or descriptors). Beyond that, not much else is edited (we both are quite busy, and we rather focus on roleplaying). Also, because this is an rp, there is no set time release for chapters and tags may change as the story progresses.
> 
> Hope yall enjoy this as much as we had fun writing it! And thanks for reading!
> 
> AnaTheOtherAlien: Howdy, everyone. I know this isn’t my usual Harry Potter story, but I’ve been working on an amazing Pompous Pep roleplay with Goten_Son_Ten, who keeps astounding me each day with their portrayal of Danny. It’s been years since I’ve been able to find a partner that stays invested in not only the plot, but manages to make me strive to be a better writer. They constantly bring in unique and interesting scenes to the roleplay, their creativity is what makes me want to strive to improve my writing. I hope everyone enjoys this story, because we have enjoyed roleplaying it.
> 
> Goten_Son_Ten: Hi all! I have the greatest pleasure and luck in finding a wonderful rp partner in AnaTheOtherAlien. Their writing style, detail, and ingenuity inspires me to better myself as a writer and I always look forward to Vlad’s reactions to my craziness. Lol! Ya’ll will notice that my Danny scenes (especially in the beginning) are not at the same level as their Vlad, but it gets much better and I am continually growing and doing my best. :) Hope yall like!

“-ion, which leads the resulting ‘x’ equals twenty-si- DANNY FENTON! Please pay attention!”

Sky blue eyes widened as he realized he had failed to hear what his high school teacher had been talking about for the past 10 minutes. “... ah! Hahaha…” He shrunk in his seat as his classmates snickered. “...yeah… sorry Mr. Paul…”

Tucker and Sam looked at each other with worry. Danny had been acting distracted lately. Far more than usual.

When the lunch bell rang Danny and his friends sat in their usual spot on a bench next to a large tree, each having their own meal when Sam asked the same question she had been asking for the past couple of weeks. “Danny, you have not been acting like yourself lately. Are you going to tell us what is wrong?”

“Yeah.” Agreed Tucker. “No offense, but you have been a little more… spaced out… even for you”

Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Oh. Hahaha! It’s nothing. Just thinking about… stuff…”

It was the same answer he had given multiple times now. Truth was, he was getting very anxious lately.

It was all due to Vlad Plasmius.

Not that the elder had done something to increase Danny’s hypervigilance as of late. In fact, things had gotten… quiet lately.

That was the problem.

Normally, Vlad had multiple evil schemes planned and executed that Danny would foil, and more often than not the young halfa found himself in the company of the pompous jerk. But all that had been changing slowly without Danny even realizing.

But now he had started to notice.

The young halfa had confided in his friends about his fears that Plasmius was planning something big since Vlad had not made his presence known in quite a while. Not even to come over to his house in order to flirt with his mother!

At first, his friends shared the same fears and helped him investigate discreetly. But they had come up with nothing. As time went on, Sam and Tucker started to get comfortable with Vlad’s absence and even began to dismiss Danny’s fears as paranoia as gently as they could.

Danny tried to ignore that strange feeling in his gut that something was off, thinking that his friends might be right. Hell, he should be happy that the elder is leaving him and his family in peace. Right?

Then why did that thought cause him fear?

He gave up telling his friends about his anxiety relating to Vlad’s absence. They did not understand anyway. How could they, if he did not understand it himself?

‘This is it!’ He thought to himself with steel determination. ‘I’m going to sneak into Vlad’s mansion, figure out what evil scheme he is up to, and foil his plan once again.’

“DANNY!!”

“Umm… yes?”

Tucker and Sam sighed tiredly. “The bell rang, man. We need to go”

“Oh!” His plan would have to wait until after class. “Right… let’s go.”

___________________________________

The life of Vlad Masters was as boring as it ever had been-meeting after meeting, with one or two breaks for coffee. It was times like these that made him question why he had bothered becoming a billionaire of successful companies. It had its perks of course, but the meetings seemed to overshadow any positivity his wealth provided.

“Mister Masters,” His secretary walked into his office, carrying a few papers with her. “The CEO of PDA industries has to reschedule the conference until next Monday. They went ahead and faxed the information of the new contract.”  
Taking the papers offered to him, his calculating eyes scanned the meticulous pile, giving a hum in response.

“Thank you, Cynthia.” He responded, resisting the urge to yawn as the papers were placed into a folder.

“That would have been your last meeting today, sir. You’re free to leave whenever.” She nodded to him, pulling out another stack of papers. “Before you leave, here’s the upcoming papers for your conference on Tuesday. It’s about the funding for the new Amity Park college.” She informed.

Putting on a neutral face, he accepted the papers and added them into a folder while standing from his office chair. “I’ll be sure to look through these when I get home. Thank you again,” His smile was still forced as he cleared his desk off.

Once Cynthia was gone, Vlad sighed softly and ran a hand down his face. This was getting tiring. Being the Mayor. Being a CEO of the richest companies in the world. Meeting with other companies that answered to him.  
It was getting more monotonous the longer it carried on, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. It was his job, plain and simple.

Honestly, it made him miss the days where he had been scheming away at some convoluted plot that a mere fourteen-year-old had been able to out smart him in.

Sighing again, Vlad made his way to his car and drove back to his mansion, already dreading the papers he would have to sift through all night.

___________________________________

“So, grab a bite to eat at the nasty burger, then video games at Sam’s place?” Tucker offered after the last class bell rang.

“Sorry guys.” Danny looked at his friends with an apologetic expression, pointing behind him. “Duty calls.” Using the ‘taking care of ghost business as an excuse’, justifying to himself that he was not lying to his friends. After all, everything having to deal with the evil Vlad Plasmius was ‘ghost business’, right?

Finding the nearest hidden spot, rings enveloped his body as he felt the exhilarating rush of his ghost power take over, turning Fenton into Phantom. Turning himself invisible, he flew over to his archnemesis’ lair.

Once at the mansion, he snuck in as quietly and as covertly as he could, trying to spy on the elder halfa before he decided how to attack.

_________________________________

Vlad did not notice something was off until he reached his mansion. He could feel a ghostly presence nearby but didn’t think much about it immediately. This was Amity Park, which was known for the frequent ghost.

Unlocking his doors, a soft mewl caught his attention. Leaning down to pet his white-haired cat, Vlad smiled.

“Hello, dear. Are you hungry?” When the feline mewled again, Vlad chuckled. “Come along, then. I’ve got your favorite.” He picked her up and carried her into the kitchen, placing her down at her favorite spot as he fed her.

Just then he felt the presence again, frowning more when he realized it was closer.

“Butternuts,” He mumbled, transforming into his ghost half as he looked around for the intruder.

_________________________________________

Once inside the large mansion, Danny flew to the most obvious spot one would find the plans/evidence of an evil villain's plot; the laboratory.

He already knew the location. Many times in the past he, and on occasion, his friends, had searched the mansion in order to foil evil plans. Though, he had not been there in quite some time.

A part of him always wondered why Vlad, with all of his mechanical ghost countering technologies, had not simply built a forcefield like the one his parents built a long time ago…

No matter, this always made it easier to spy on the elder.

He braced himself, ready to face whatever creation or plan that was in the lab… only to suddenly stop. Danny Phantom floated in mid air, neon eyes wide with a dumbfounded expression on his face.

He had not been prepared for this…

The lab had some white sheets on many of the tables, covering multiple gadgets from dust. As if… as if they had not been used in a while…

‘What…?’

The entire lab looked almost… abandoned. As if the elder had not used it in quite some time.

‘Had he… changed the location of his main lab?’ Danny asked himself as he floated motionless, too confused to really pay attention to any movement in his surroundings.

______________________________________

As Vlad looked for the intruder, he couldn’t help but feel some sense of exhilaration about the turn of events. How long had it been since someone had tried to sneak into his house, let alone that someone being a ghost?

It was interesting, though. Most of the inhabitants of the Ghost Zone knew not to bother him, seeing as he was stronger than most of them.

He had long since stopped paying Skulker to develop new items for him, as well as Technus, so those two were most certainly not the ones to be intruding.

Following the source of the ghostly presence, he stopped with a sigh as his cat followed after him, mewling.

“Not now, dear.” He reached down to scratch behind her ear, smiling. “I’ll be back to pet you later.” Vlad promised his cat, who had taken to trying to scratch at his cape. Shaking his head fondly, he conjured an ectoplasmic yarn ball and tossed it down the hall for his cat, smirking as she chased after it.

Continuing on his way, he turned intangible and flew down to his lab, eyebrows raising when he noticed the person floating in the middle of his room.

“Do you care to tell me what you’re doing here, little badger?” Vlad asked, making himself known as he had his arms crossed.

Danny flinched, and turned around abruptly in the air to face Plasmius. ‘Shit!’ He internally chastised himself. Getting caught had not been part of the plan…

He felt a rush of excitement, his core pulsing quicker at the sight of the elder halfa.

It had been waayy too long since Phantom had a decent fight.

Now 18 years old, Danny has had 4 years to increase and sharpen his ghost powers. If he could stand his own (albeit with some luck on his side) at 14 years old, imagine what 4 more years would do.

None of the ghosts he used to fight (save Plasmius) were a threat anymore. Hell, at this point, most of his past enemies had stopped coming to Amity Park because they knew they did not stand a chance against the now adult Phantom.

And now, for the past while, Vlad had even stopped.

But Danny was not going to believe that. He knew the man was obsessive. There was no way that his arch nemesis would ever stop being evil.

Right?

Acting the ‘Hero’, Danny straightened and crossed his arms, smirking as he looked at the elder. “What else? To stop you in your newest scheme.”

Once more, Vlad rose an eyebrow at the younger halfa’s response and gave a soft sigh of indignation. While seeing the other halfa again made his adrenaline spike, the billionaire knew he had to make things clear.

He really thinks I’m up to something, doesn’t he? Vlad thought to himself, letting his arms uncross as he shook his head.

“My only scheme involves getting through conferences at work, Daniel.” While he wasn’t surprised that Daniel assumed he was plotting something, he had long since given up on those frivolous plans. It had been about a year or two ago when he realized that what he felt for Maddie wasn’t love, so he had stopped pursuing her altogether.

Not long after that, he stopped messing with Daniel as well. The only time he bothered to show up was to test the Halfa’s strength. Even that felt like years ago.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he glanced over the appearance of his intruder, noting the change in his appearance over the last four years. He was eighteen now, an adult.

“Since you likely won’t believe me,” He said, gesturing to the fairly empty lab. “Continue your snooping. Just don’t break anything, please.” Vlad hummed nonchalantly, floating back upstairs.

Danny’s jaw would have fallen to the ground if it had not been attached to his skull. He watched as Vlad floated back upstairs, flabbergasted at being so… dismissed.

He shook himself out of his stupor and frowned. ‘This has to be some sort of trick!’ He thought, trying to convince himself when everything else (lack of confrontation in a while, main lab half-deserted and almost empty) told him differently.

Rather than look through the obviously innocent lab, he floated up, following his archnemesis.

Danny floated right in front of the elder halfa, blocking his ascent, neon eyes staring straight into crimson ones with a glare. “Just who do you think you are trying to fool, Plasmius?”

Not at all surprised that Daniel had blocked his way, Vlad smirked a bit. “I’m not trying to fool anyone, Daniel. If you need to watch me, fine. All of my plans involve finishing my work.” He said, turning back into his human half as he carefully landed on the floor.

He seems desperate. It’s almost like he wants me to be up to something. Vlad realized, but didn’t bother voicing his opinion as he continued walking.

“I’ve got documents to look through. Some of us have busy jobs, little badger. If you insist on staying, make yourself at home.” He waved him off, grabbing the meeting documents that had been laid on the table.

A soft mewl came and Vlad allowed himself to smile as he once more scratched behind her ears, making the cat purr. “Alright,” He mumbled, placing her on his lap as he looked through the endless amount of papers, dismissing Daniel again.

Danny gritted his teeth, trying vainly to hang on to the anger he felt towards Vlad when in reality, the elder’s dismissal had cut him far deeper than any prior physical wound ever had.

There was no way. No way the Frootloop was going to ignore him!

“Fine!” He crossed his arms, floating down to a nearby couch. Once he sat down on the couch, he transformed back to Fenton, a glare plastered on his face as he stared down the elder halfa. “Then I will!” He said half petulantly, trying to call the other’s bluff.

He would sit there for as long as it took! There was no way he would let Plasmius win!

…

Though, as time went on. Even he was starting to admit that he had not thought this through.

It was boring as hell watching Vlad as he worked on paperwork. Not only was boredom killing the poor 18 year old, but his fear was increasing with every tick of the wall clock.

What if Vlad was telling the truth?

What if he really stopped scheming and was no longer trying to take over the world? (Or something as equally stupid).

But the question that scared Danny the most, was where did that leave them?

Fear rose in the young halfa as he stared at Vlad, his frown having left a bit ago, now replaced with a worried expression he had not known was showing. What if the elder just simply chose to ignore him?

The thought was terrifying. And Danny could not even begin to comprehend as to why.

_________________________________

Vlad reviewed the first documents, reading over every excruciating detail. ‘I should make this my last term as Mayor. Lord knows how I managed to do this, scheme, and attend meetings all those years ago’. He had been absentmindedly petting his cat when he noticed what time it was. A few hours had passed and that was when he remembered Daniel was still here.

“Are you hungry?” Vlad questioned the silent room, feeling the younger halfa’s eyes locked onto the back of his head. There was no doubt that Daniel didn’t trust him, but hopefully his actions would ease his worries.

He was starting to grow famished himself, actually. He hadn’t been able to eat his entire lunch because of an impromptu meeting around noon, so that had left him in a sour mood during the conference.

Turning to look at the younger man, Vlad felt himself frown when he noticed the look on the others face. It was a strange look that he had never seen on him before.

It was a mix of fear and something else that he couldn’t pinpoint, but it was hidden beneath the worry he saw.

He almost looked sad, in an odd way. Vlad couldn’t comprehend why there was such an emotion plastered on his former nemesis.

Danny was startled out of his thoughts and his eyes widened a few seconds after Vlad had turned to look at him, having now registered that the elder had spoken to him.

A strange feeling wormed its way into his stomach at receiving the other’s attention after having been ignored for so long. Ignoring that strange feeling, he forced a frown on his face, but it had little bite to it. “What? Run out of original ideas, so you decide on poisoning me?” Though the accusation did not seem genuine.

“Please, little badger, have some faith in me. Poisoning is not my style.” Vlad teased, starting to feel the tension in the room coming from Daniel. There was something wrong with the other man, but he still couldn’t pinpoint what his problem was. Knowing how the younger man was, he would never get a straight answer.

“I just wanted to know if you were hungry. I can either cook something for us, or I can order something. Your choice.” Vlad commented, letting his cat off his lap as he got up, dusting the slight fur that had been left on his pants.

He wasn’t sure why, but the fact that the younger man looked so sad bothered him. He wanted to fix it, for some unknown reason.

Danny’s eyebrow rose questioningly. “You… cook?” He said hesitantly.

Vlad nearly scoffed when asked if he knew how to cook. Of course, he could cook! Did Daniel think that he had other people to do it for him? Granted, he was more than wealthy enough to afford such luxuries, but he preferred to make most food himself.

Danny felt another strange pang when a thought suddenly struck. With a bit of shame he asked himself; What did he know about Vlad that did not involve evil schemes?

Sure, as a 14 year old, one could excuse his black-and-white thinking. How he labeled the older halfa as one of those evil villains from the Saturday morning cartoons. But now that he was a young adult, he really should know better.

Vlad was a person, too.

Still frowning, he relented. “Fine. But I will be watching your every move.” He warned. Though, truthfully (a truth he would not even admit to himself), he just wanted to stay close to Vlad.

“Be my guest,” Vlad mumbled, making his way into his vast kitchen. Thankfully, he had just done some grocery shopping, so his pantry and refrigerator were full of all sorts of food. Since he had to entertain guests sometimes, it never hurt to have enough food on hand.

Danny followed Vlad to the massive kitchen and made his way to the island counter. Though instead of sitting on one of the chairs, he sat on the island counter, more to annoy the elder more than anything else.

“Is there anything in particular you want?” Vlad inquired. He had stopped spying on Daniel years ago, so he wasn’t sure what the younger halfa liked to eat.

I really don’t know much about him anymore, Vlad came to that realization, but shoved it away as quickly as it came.

The teen smirked at the billionaire, his sky blue eyes shining with mirth. ‘He said he can cook. Let’s put those skills to the test.’

“I guess I wouldn’t mind some Boeuf Bourguignon.” Remembering that Tucker, the self-proclaimed meat master, said it was one of the most difficult dishes to master. ‘Bet Vlad didn’t even know I knew the name of such a fancy dish.’ He thought as his pride swelled. Sure, he only knew the name (much less how to pronounce it) thanks to the fact that it was his best friend’s favorite dish, but the elder did not need to know that.

Vlad was a little surprised to hear that dish come out of the younger’s mouth, but he only leveled him with a stare. This must be his way of testing my cooking abilities. He thought with a snort, using his power to make the needed ingredients and utensils appear on the counter.

“I didn’t think you would be a fan of this dish. Looks like I was mistaken,” He commented, preheating the oven as he spoke. “You’re not too hungry, are you? This dish typically takes two hours to cook.” Vlad was adding the beef to a pan to sear them as he added salt and pepper, glancing at Daniel with a raised eyebrow.

Seeing Daniel sitting on the countertop made his chest warm up for the briefest of moments before he turned his attention back to the food.

Danny snorted. “I’m not a kid anymore, Vlad. I can wait a couple of hours. I’m not going to starve.” He said, a small, fond smile tugging at his lips.

“No, but teenagers are known for their appetites.” Vlad teased, figuring the other man would hit another growth spurt soon. He remembered being eighteen. He had just finished high school and was on his way to college.

At one point, the memories of his college years would have brought back unsavory memories, but now, he could look at them with a fondness that had once been lost due to his anger and resentment at Jack Fenton. If he was honest with himself, there had been some resentment towards Maddie at one point, but his obsession had looked past it.

Danny couldn’t help but smile. An actual smile at the elder’s comment about teens and food. “I will admit that you have me there, old man.” He teased right back. Actually enjoying this friendly banter that had, out of nowhere, developed between two people who were enemies.

Snorting at being called an old man, Vlad merely started to add some sauce into the pan with the beef, making sure to get an even coat. It had been too long since he had a conversation this nice. Something about the playful bickering made him smile, a soft and warm feeling forming in his chest.

Danny stared at the older halfa’s back as the man started preparing the meal. It was a little… odd to be talking to the elder halfa this way. No real animosity in the exchange of words, no threats. It felt that there was some sort of unsaid understanding between the two at this very moment. That neither would do harm to the other. It felt almost…

.... nice.

Danny turned his gaze away and looked down, a bit lost in his thoughts as he contemplated the odd situation he found himself with his archnemesis. He had also expected to get a rise out of Vlad by sitting on the counter. An attempt that obviously failed.

Confusing thoughts and feelings swirled in his brain, and he was still unsure how to deal with it all.

“Is there any vegetable you don’t like? This recipe calls for quite a few.” Vlad knew Daniel wasn’t too picky, but he wanted to be on the safe side and not add anything that would make his guest sick.

His eyes unconsciously sought the other man, looking at him from his spot.

Daniel looked happier than earlier, but there was still something clouded in those blue eyes.

Danny slid off of the island counter, making his way over to where Vlad had set the vegetables and grabbed a carrot. “I don’t mind the vegetables.” He smiled wistfully as he placed the carrot on the nearby cutting board. “Though Tucker pulls them out after the food is made.”

He was not sure why he shared such a mundane detail about someone he cared about to his nemesis. It had just… slipped out naturally.

Additionally, he was not sure why he was starting to help Vlad cook by grabbing the chef knife and starting to cut the carrot.

He frowned slightly. ‘I must be losing my mind…’

Vlad had been about to make another comment when Daniel grabbed a long carrot, going to help cut it for him. A little shocked by the action, his smile widened just the slightest as he listened to the younger male talk, even going as far as to tell something about his personal life.

“Your father was the same way in college. He hated having vegetables with his meat.” Vlad confessed, sharing something from his own memories. It had been a while since he last thought of the days with Jack as his roommate. It felt right to share the moment with Daniel, though, since the younger had shared something just as personal.

Thinking about the college days with Jack and Maddie did make him miss those days, even if he had resented him for the accident. Now that he no longer let anger cloud his judgment, it was easier to remember the fun time he had with them, Jack specifically.

There was a reason they were roommates, after all. They really had been best friends at one point, but he had let his resentment alter and twist the fond memories. He wouldn’t allow that to happen anymore.

Danny looked up, surprised the elder would say something about his father with such normalcy.

He was way too used to Vlad talking with venom and hatred towards his dad, always ending with some insult or another.

But the way Vlad just spoke, almost seemed like he was reminiscing?

He observed the older halfa closely, but found no deception or hidden insult. Then lowered his gaze back to his task.

“Do you cook often?” Vlad asked, glancing at the way Daniel chopped the vegetables.

Danny snorted at the question. “I’m terrible at it. Unless you count Top ramen as cooking.” He confessed as he cut the vegetables unevenly, not really holding the knife correctly, nor tucking his fingers in as he should.

“I can tell you from experience that ramen is a go-to meal for college students,” Vlad said with a small smirk, not surprised that Daniel was good at making such a meal. It was easy and inexpensive and from someone who grew up with not a lot, it was something he could make a lot of.

Danny blinked as Vlad mentioned the fact that he used to eat ramen. ‘...that’s right…’ Without lifting his head, he shifted his sky blue eyes to gaze at the elder covertly. ‘He was… average once…’

It was very hard for the young halfa to conceive that Vlad had not always been the pompous, arrogant, stuck up, always put together billionaire beside him. All having changed after his father’s… mistake.

He felt guilt over what his father had done. Although it was not a viable excuse in his opinion for all the bad things the elder had done, his father had messed up...

Pushing away the slight guilt, Danny focused on cutting the vegetables once more. Then, smirked, lifting his gaze to the older halfa and slightly pointing the knife in the other’s direction. “I’m only doing this because I just don’t trust you with a knife near me.” He said, joking. “Besides.” He returned to cutting the carrot. Then placed the cut pieces into a nearby bowl and grabbed mushrooms, beginning to cut those. “I have an extra defense should you try something.” Knowing full well that the knife was really not mortally dangerous to the two halfas.

“Extra defenses?” Vlad asked, pretending to be intrigued, but didn’t push further as he joked with the younger Halfa as he continued to sear the meat.

Danny suddenly found himself curious to know a little more about Vlad. “Do you…” He hesitated a moment. “... cook often?”

“I do cook often. I’m not fond of going out after a long day of work, so I usually come home to cook something myself,” He said, his trained eyes catching the way Daniel was holding the knife.

“Be careful,” He mumbled, quickly moving to stand behind him and touch his hand. “You’ll cut your hand with the way you’re holding it,” Vlad informed, guiding his hand into the correct position.

Danny had been about to make a joke about Vlad doing something for himself for a change, when he noticed the other halfa standing behind him, stiffening out of instinct. He almost flinched when the elder touched his hand and started to guide it.

His heart sped up and he began to perspire. ‘Too close!’ He thought, as flashbacks from their many battles came crashing down.

He fought against that anxiety. Though they had shared many battles throughout the years, they had never exchanged violence in their human form.

There was a strange calming effect to that thought, and he was able to somewhat relax his muscles. However, his heart still hammered loudly, and there was a strange feeling in his gut he could not identify.

Vlad hadn’t noticed the younger tense in front of him, too focused on making sure the other didn’t somehow hurt himself with the way he had been holding the knife. It was a rookie mistake, but it was one that he wanted to correct before any blood was drawn.

“It’s better to hold it like this,” He informed, showing him the correct movements. “I’ve made the mistake of holding it the way you did originally, and I nearly lost a finger,” He explained softly, unconsciously moving a tad closer for a single moment.

“I think you’ve got it from here, little badger.” He teased, starting to back off once the younger seemed to get the formation and movement correct. As he went back to searing the beef and turning the heat down, he felt his heartbeat settle, a little miffed at why being so close had done that to him.

Danny’s heart had kept yammering the entire time during the contact, to the young halfa’s discomfort. He said nothing though as the elder pulled away. He would not acknowledge that he suddenly missed the warmth. Not doing it.

He kept chopping the mushrooms, using the new technique Vlad had shown him, so he wouldn’t hurt himself. The thought made that strange sensation in his gut intensify. A sensation he tried to vehemently to ignore.

“I actually learned how to cook thanks to your father. He taught me how to bake.” Vlad spoke up after a few moments of silence, removing the beef from the heat and replacing it with a pan that contained sliced bacon. “We were the ones who created his special fudge,” He had a small smile on his face, thinking back to when they had been close again.

Danny couldn’t help but laugh out loud, genuine laughter as he made sure to stop cutting lest he hurt himself. “That’s dad for you. The only requirement for his friendship is to learn how to make his special fudge recipe!” Of course, it was in jest, though he knew his dad always tried to teach everyone and their brother how to make it.

“Your dad was happy when I helped him with his fudge. I think he even shed a tear that day,” Vlad chuckled, taking the newly chopped vegetables, and adding them into a bigger pot, pouring a small amount of olive oil into the pan to help it simmer.

Listening to the younger laugh made his chest warm up again, something spreading through his body at the relaxed posture and easy laughter coming from his guest.

It was a nice change of pace, truthfully. Fighting each other had weighed on him over the years and it had got to the point where hurting Daniel had left him feeling horrible, to put it simply. Lost in his thoughts, he barely caught onto what the younger was saying.

Danny placed the mushrooms into the bowl with the carrots and proceeded to gather the next vegetable to cut.

“Sooo…” Mirth was present in his voice. “Your first cooking lessons involved baking.” He smirked at the elder halfa. “Is that why you swear in pastries like a five-year old?”

Vlad actually let a small laugh out, glancing towards Daniel for a moment with a grin. “Partially. I used to curse quite badly in college and your parents hated it.” He smirked a bit. “So, I found a better way to voice my frustrations.” He teased, finishing searing the bacon and adding the grease into the pot.

“You? Curse??” Danny questioned, eyes wide staring at the elder as if he had grown two heads right in front of him. This was shocking news, for he had never heard the elder say a curse word in his life.

After his momentary shock, he gave a sly smirk. “Well, maybe I will just have to find a way to get you back into that habit again.” He said mischievously as he finished cutting the last of the vegetables and placed the cuttings in the bowl.

The older halfa continued. “I admit to having issues with your father in the past, but he is an intelligent man. A bit foolish, obviously, but he means well.” Vlad mumbled after a moment, biting his lips. “I need to apologize for my earlier actions against him. I hadn’t realized how long I held a grudge until a few years ago. I lost my best friend because of it.” He admitted, cooking as he spoke.

The last words Vlad spoke left Danny completely frozen in place. There was no way. No way he had just heard Plasmius of all people, say such things about his father. He was completely sure that Vlad considered ‘intelligent’ and ‘Jack’ antonyms to each other.

Then he said… apologize? To his father??

Danny glared at the other beside him, Determination steeling his now bright neon eyes unnoticed by the other halfa.

With lightning-quick movements, Danny charged Vlad as bright white rings changed him into Phantom, and tackled Vlad onto the floor, catching the elder by surprise.

He pinned the elder with his legs on either side of his waist as he leaned over the other. Fisting the billionaires white collared shirt, he pulled a little as he looked down with a menacing glare. “Okay. Enough games, Amorpho. Where is the real Plasmius?”

Before Vlad could make a joke about Daniel trying to make him curse with whatever mischief the younger had planned, he found himself being tackled to the floor, an angry Phantom pinning him to the tiles in his expensive kitchen.

On reflex, he had changed into Plasmius, the dark rings flashing as his human features were replaced by blue skin. ‘Why am I not surprised? This change in my behavior must be baffling to him.’ Vlad thought, not making a move against the younger.

“While I am pleased to see how your powers have grown, I hadn’t thought I would be on the receiving end today.” Vlad couldn’t help but smirk at the glowing green eyes, the image causing him to think back to when Daniel had first gotten his powers.

“Ah, the scary eyes. Been a while since I’ve seen those too,” He still made no move to fight back, his eyebrow raised at the anger that was leaking off of the younger.

“But in all honesty, I’m not Amorpho. I am Plasmius, little badger. It might be hard for you to grasp, but people change. I’ve tried to change, at least.” He said, looking into the green ones.

Phantom scoffed. “Yeah right. Cut the crap. The Vlad I know would never in a million years say what you just said in the same sentence.”

This man below him had to have been an imposter. There was no other explanation in the young halfa’s eyes as to the abrupt change in behavior.

He raised the hand not holding the other’s suit high, green ectoenergy enveloping his fist and ready to strike. “Now, I would suggest you tell me where the real Vlad is before I spill your ectoplasm across this perfectly clean floo-” His sentence was cut off as he glanced to the elder’s left.

Maddie had padded up to the two men on the floor, sitting down next to Plasmius and looking up at Phantom. “Mmeaaow!” She mewled happily.

Danny blinked as Vlad’s cat started rubbing up against the elder halfa below him, pawing at the other’s side. A plea for handouts of the food her owner was preparing.

‘Butternuts, he really doesn’t believe me! What am I going to-’ But of course, his darling cat made her appearance, nuzzling him like she always did. Trying to not the fur tickle his face, he was able to move to his hand and pat her side, smirking as she purred against him.

Dany watched the scene thoughtfully. There was no way Maddie (and teen shuddered everytime he thought why Vlad chose that name for his cat) would act this way towards Amorpho, a complete stranger (and ghost), as if she trusted him. Animals had keen senses that would easily alert them to imposters, especially ghost-related.

This had to be Vlad.

Slowly, he lowered his fist as the other released the elder’s suit. “...”

Phantom looked down, embarrassed to have so quickly jumped to conclusions. Finding old habits of distrust die hard. He couldn’t meet the other’s eyes. “... s-sorry...” He said in a low voice.

“You’re a spoiled thing, aren’t you?” He mumbled softly, smiling at her as she only purred deeper. He almost forgot about the other halfa on top of him, before the younger ghost managed to get out an apology.

“Daniel, it’s alright.” Vlad let himself say, not wanting to imagine what was going through the other’s mind, which had to be a jumbled mess. “I’ve given you too many reasons to doubt me in the past. There’s no wonder that you distrust me.”

He could admit that he had caused a lot of problems the past two and a half years, only cutting back about a year or two ago. If he had been in Daniel’s shoes, he wouldn’t have trusted himself either. Wanting to get through to him, Vlad offered a small smile, his hand carefully touching the other’s shoulder.

“How about we finish cooking dinner? I’d hate to let it go to waste.” He spoke, not changing back into his human quite yet. “I’d need you to get off me, first.” Vlad teased him with a playful smirk.

Bright green blush covered Phantom’s face, the words of the elder halfa redirecting his attention to the position they were in. And how he was… on top… of Plasmius.

There was that feeling in his gut again…

Along with quickened pulsing to his core reminiscent of accelerated heartbeat. Why was his anxiety rising like this? It was similar, yet different to the thrill of battle…

Nothing was making sense to the poor halfa.

He had frozen in place, overwhelmed by all the chaos and confusion he was facing, until he felt the soft warm hand on his shoulder.

Which only served to make those odd feelings worse.

He bolted off of Vlad so quick as if the other’s touch had burned him, starting Maddie with his abruptness. Putting a bit of distance between himself and the billionaire.

Danny desperately looked around for anything to change the topic. To distract from all of this craziness. ‘His frootloopyness must be rubbing off on me.’ He thought to himself with slight amusement.

“I-I’ll be sitting over there, if you need any other help making the food…” He said lamely as he sat on one of the swivel chairs next to the island counter. Unable to meet the elder’s gaze.

He did not think about how caring and gentle Vlad had been towards the cat. How Plasmius’ voice had taken a gentle tone. How genuinely open with defenses lowered the other had looked in that moment.

At least, he tried not to. And he certainly tried not to analyze the weird feelings it caused.

Vlad didn’t dare allow his mind to dwell on how warm Daniel’s presence had been on top of him, or how his core had pulsed at the closeness. It had happened a few times whenever he thought of the younger halfa, but it was never this strong.

No matter. Vlad thought, watching the way Daniel had scrambled away from him, momentarily confused at the sudden skittishness the teenager displayed. It was likely that he was still embarrassed from his outburst a few moments prior. The bright green flush on the eighteen-year-old only proved to cement his answer.

For the first time since they had known each other, Danny transformed back into human form before Vlad.

Vlad had been pleasantly surprised to watch Daniel transform in front of him, despite the fact that he was still Plasmius.

Now that Phantom was gone, Vlad’s transformation rings appeared as he turned back into his human self, dusting his rustled collar and sleeves.

“Alright, little badger. I’ll let you know when the food is ready.” His eyes trailed back to his cat, who mewled again, pawing at his pant leg lightly. “Alright, alright.” There was a fond huff as he gave her a small piece of one of the cooked slices of meat, watching with amusement as she ran back to her usual lounging spot.

Danny made his way to the island counter and sat on the chair as Vlad continued to cook, lost in his thoughts. Why was he even here, again? Oh, yes… trying to foil Plasmius’ plans of evilness…

The thought even sounded childish to his own mind.

Vlad had done nothing today that could even be counted as remotely bad. And hell, his lab looked like it had not been touched in years!

Now that he actually thought about it, Vlad had not done something villainous in a long, long time. Hell, he hadn’t even tried to come over to his home in an attempt to flirt with his mother.

Had Vlad actually started to change? Why? What in the world brought that on? What could possibly end 20+ years of obsession?

Had he… had he stopped obsessing over his mother because he started to feel attraction to someone else?

Somehow the thought made uncomfortable knots form in his gut as anger rose, suddenly feeling confused about his reaction. He should feel happy and relieved that Vlad finally found someone else.

Right?

Vlad was still a little worried about his silent guest. Daniel wouldn’t even look at him now, and the thought made him frown.

“Are you sure you don’t want to help?” He asked, observing his reaction.

Danny almost did not hear the elder’s question, so lost in his thoughts. However, once it registered, he took a moment to think about it.

And realized that yes, for some ungodly, unfathomable reason, he did want to help Vlad cook.

But the thought of being near the elder halfa had him very unsettled at the moment.

There was only one thing that came to his mind of what he could do that still let him help, while maintaining the distance he wanted. “... I-I’ll set the table…”

Still avoiding looking into the elder’s gaze, he rose from the chair and began to rummage through the cabinets, cursing the eccentric, excessive and unnecessarily large kitchen.

Vlad tried to dismiss the disappointment that welled inside his chest, but it settled there for a moment as the other pulled further away from him, obviously distancing himself. There was something inside of his being screaming at him to be closer to Daniel, but he managed to ignore the insistent pull by focusing all of his energy on cooking.

Perhaps the younger halfa needed time to understand his change? It was a shock, wasn’t it?

Is there something else bothering him? Vlad thought to himself, forcing himself to not glance at the other as he finished chopping the other vegetables. It's not like he would tell me...

Deciding to not push it, Vlad glanced at Daniel with a small smile.

“Thank you for offering to set the table-“ Vlad stopped what he was doing, withholding a laugh as Daniel fruitlessly tried to find his plates. “Having a bit of trouble?” He asked, trying hard to not grin at the other’s frustrated expression.

“Second one on your right has all the plates. The silverware is right below it in the drawer.” Vlad informed, forcing himself to not go to the other halfa’s side.

If Daniel needed space, he would give it.

“The glasses are in the cabinet beside the plate,” He added, starting to combine all the ingredients before finally placing it in the oven.

“Thanks…” The teen mumbled as he headed in the direction of the cabinet indicated by Vlad. Grabbing plates first, then the glasses, finally moving to grab the utensils and stilled, a sole eyebrow rising as he gazed at the stupidly numerous sizes and types of forks and spoons. “... this is ridiculous…” He declared and just grabbed the first type of fork and spoon that looked as similar to a ‘normal’ one it could.

Snorting at Daniel’s comment, Vlad didn’t have to be a genius to know the other was referring to the variety of different forks and spoons. He thought it was quite ridiculous himself, but etiquette had been drilled into his head once he became a billionaire and was forced to attend certain galas or charity events. Those loathsome nights were still too frequent for Vlad’s taste, but his secretary and chairmen knew what they were doing. They ensured that he had been seen at the most important or ostentatious gatherings.

Whatever boosted his political image, he was there. And with being a successful mayor, it was often.

Which left the question of whether he wanted to run again next year or not. While he would likely win in a landslide, the mayoral duties combined with his other businesses were getting too much for him to handle.

Maybe he was getting old.

Still, there was something keeping him at Amity Park. While he didn’t want to address it, they were in the room with him.

Perhaps if he told Daniel about his indecision to run for mayor again, it would allow the younger halfa to rest in knowing that he would be back in Wisconsin.

That was if he could force himself to leave or not.

Danny made his way to the adjacent dining room. Once there, he stopped a moment to gaze at the large ornate table that had enough chairs to seat 12 people comfortably.

A pang of sadness hit him as he slowly placed the two plates down on the wood. The table was so big. Didn’t Vlad ever get lonely eating at this large table alone?

Did Vlad even eat at this table?

His mind wandered, thinking about what he knew about the older halfa. Vlad probably ate at his work desk, lab or something. Then again, Danny had no idea the man actually cooked. Maybe he ate on a couch in a living room? Or maybe he did eat at this enormous table alone?

He looked down at the plates, then the table. How would he set up these plates?

Should he set them so they were facing each other? Somehow… that thought brought a little bit of that strange sensation in his gut and promptly pushed it away.

Should he set one plate at the head of the table and the other beside it?

Nah… That man did not need his ego boosted anymore by sitting at the head of the table.

Side by side?

No. He wanted to keep an eye on Vlad should he try something suspicious.

So… Face to face it is.

He set the plates, glasses, and utensils, heading back to the kitchen and sitting down on the same chair next to the island counter. This time he was less disturbed and raised his gaze to watch the billionaire as the other continued to cook.

Unaware of the gaze on him, Vlad started to clean the mess they had made, putting the knife and other pots and pans into the sink. He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows as he began to wash the dishes.

Danny tilted his head in curiosity. It was so… odd to watch Vlad doing something so mundane as washing dishes. Cooking had already hit the limit of oddness for the pompous billionaire, but washing dishes? Somehow, to the young halfa, it seemed… below the elder.

Of course, thinking harder about it, of course Vlad had to do mundane things. He somehow always imagined Vlad always waking up perfectly, not one hair out of place. Always having others do the standard, normal people things while he remained immaculate.

Danny suddenly realizes just how much of an unrealistic view of the elder halfa he really had.

The thought left him feeling hollow and ashamed of himself.

With a tired sigh, he moved next to Vlad, grabbing a towel and hand drying the wet dishes. Settling into a companionable comfortable silence.

Though he vehemently ignored his accelerated heart beat and strange feelings at being next to the other caused.

“It should be ready soon,” The elder commented offhandedly, still lost in his own thoughts for the most part.

Danny just nodded, finishing up with drying the dishes. He let Vlad gather the now finished Boeuf Bourguignon while he gathered a water pitcher from the fridge and brought it to the table.

Vlad took the food out of the oven when the timer went off, bringing the pot and placing it in the middle of the table for them. It had been a while since he last cooked for a single person instead of groups of people, but he certainly didn’t mind the domesticity of it.

Danny sat in his chair, keeping silent as he took his portion of the food onto his plate. Not quite sure what to say.

It was not everyday he sat to eat dinner with his archnemesis...

Danny used his fork to grab a bit of the food from his plate. It looked like Boeuf Bourguignon. ‘Well… I guess we will see if Vlad was telling the truth about him being able to cook…’. He rose the bite to his mouth cautiously and chewed slowly with a thoughtful expression.

He heard Vlad say he had not made the dish in years with surprise. The Boeuf Bourguignon tasted delicious! He hated to admit it, but dammit! That man can cook!

Which made him wonder what other dishes the billionaire could make. And he realized with a start that he wanted to try them all.

Maybe... maybe he could find some excuse to stop by the elder's mansion more often. After all, it was his duty as town hero to make sure Vlad did not succeed in his evil schemes. Trying more dishes made by said villain was just an added bonus.

“I hope it’s to your liking. It’s been a few years since I’ve had to cook this dish.” Vlad admitted, slowly eating at his own plate. It wasn’t too bad. Had he made this more often, it probably would have been better, but it wasn’t bad for not making it in about two or three years.

A small pleased smile graced Danny’s lips as he swallowed the bite, then turned into a smirk as he looked at the elder with mirth. “It’s decent. But you will get my full review in a few hours if I hadn’t died from food poisoning by then.”

Though after a couple more bites, looking down at his food, he admitted in a low, almost timid voice. “... It actually does taste good…” A small blush tinting his cheeks.

Vlad felt immense satisfaction swirling in his chest when Daniel admitted to having enjoyed the food, which left him wanting to cook for the younger halfa more. It wasn’t too often that he was able to cook for someone who he cared about. Sure, he was required to cook occasionally for the events hosted at his mansion, but needless to say, Vlad didn’t care too much about his associates. Not in the way he cared for the man sitting adjacent from him.

They continued eating in silence. It was not fully uncomfortable for Danny, just that he had no idea what to say. Nor did he feel the courage to break the silence that had settled between the two.

Vlad knew it was almost time to bring up the possibility of moving away from Amity Park. He was on the fence about it and for some unbeknownst reason, he needed Daniel to know.

I don’t know why I think telling him will make it any easier. Vlad thought to himself, placing his fork down slowly.

“Daniel,” Vlad began, trying to figure how to word it. “I’m not sure if I plan on running for Mayor again during the reelection.” The older halfa confessed, feeling a wave of anxiousness form in his chest. “I might move back to Wisconsin after my term is up.” And when he thought of it, his term would be up in a few months.

He needed to make a decision soon.

Danny had felt a slight rush as he heard the elder call out his name and breaking the silence. Realizing that, strangely, he wanted to have conversations with his long-time enemy.

But what the elder had to say, caused him to freeze in shock.

Time seemed to stand still as the room became ice cold. He suddenly felt his anxiety rise, knots twisting in his gut, and perspiration lining his skin as fear gripped him.

Vlad was going to move back to Wisconsin??

That feeling of emptiness, one that he did not fully recognize had been present for a little over a year, reared its ugly head and made its presence known with a vengeance.

Vlad had been a constant for so long since he had received his powers. The only other halfa in existence. The only person who challenged him with witty banter and filled him with satisfaction when he was able to successfully one up the other. The one person left in the ghost zone who challenged him to become stronger and, ignoring the bad qualities, someone who he unconsciously looked up to. Someone who gave him a sense of purpose. Plasmius was a villain to his hero. His ying to his yang.

Without him, what did he have left? Who was he?

His fear turned to terror.

He couldn’t think. Couldn’t hear. Couldn’t see. His ears were clogged as if someone had stuffed cotton in them and his mouth was dry.

He couldn’t breathe…

His body began to shake as he began to hyperventilate. Trying in vain to gasp for air that would not come to his lungs as he gazed forward in a daze, not really seeing anything or registering anything anymore. Head pounding as if someone was hitting it with a hammer and feeling like his whole body was on the verge of death.

Like that time in the portal four years ago.

Sky blue eyes rolled back and he collapsed, the world going black as he succumbed to unconsciousness.

_____________________________________


	2. The Pact

Here is chapter 2! :)

Remember, this is a role play, so sometimes there will be a change in perspective indicated by a line break, though we try to make it obvious whose perspective it is. :)

we hope you enjoy!

..............................................

Vlad was thrown into a loop at the way Daniel seemed to freeze, no longer eating or drinking. In fact, there wasn’t much emotion on his face after he explained his indecision of running for mayor again. It must have been a shock to the other was all. 

He had believed that until terror started to shine in those sky-blue eyes, starting the billionaire for a moment. Terror? Why was Daniel so terrified all of the sudden? 

Nothing was making sense to him, but he knew he needed to get his attention. 

“Daniel?” Vlad asked slowly, apprehension growing into something more protective when the other didn’t respond, almost as if he were hypnotized. “Little Badger-“ He tried again, only to stop when all Hell broke loose. 

Once the hyperventilation started, Vlad subconsciously changed into Plasmius and flew over to him quickly, touching his shoulder and hair as he tried to get a look at him. 

“Daniel? Can you hear me?” Fear was gripping his core when there was yet again no response besides the quick breathing that echoed loudly through the silent room. Realizing that the halfa was too far gone to respond to him, he began to carefully stroke his hair, hoping it would earn him some sort of reaction.

When the breathing became more desperate, Vlad felt his core tighten, his stomach churning in unease. “Breath. Take deep breaths…” None of his words were getting through to the other and Vlad nearly cursed, his hands shaking with fear as they gripped Daniel again. “Please. You need to-“ 

Vlad stopped breathing when Daniel’s eyes rolled back, the teen's body going limp. He was thankful to already have the unconscious man in his arms, but it was a small victory in comparison. Frowning, Vlad carefully shifted Daniel’s weight in his arms, carrying him to another room to lay down in. Feeling like he was in a trance, Vlad looked around, sighing. 

He wasn’t sure how he ended up in his own room, but it didn’t matter. Trying not to jostle Danny too much, he carefully placed the other halfa under his cover while placing his fingers on his neck to get a check on his vitals. With a sigh of relief, he removed them, only to conjure one of his clones to fetch a damp washcloth. Once in his grasp, he placed the warm cloth on the pale forehead before sitting down on a chair beside the bed, watching over the other man. 

Now that Daniel was resting, it gave him the opportunity to think back to the events. It boggled him, quite frankly. There was no indication that such news would have made the younger react in such a bizarre way. In fact, Vlad thought the other would have been delighted at the news, not have a panic attack at the dining room table. 

Does he want me to stay? Vlad couldn’t help but wonder, a warmth flaring in his core and settling there, his heartbeat suddenly faster. Perhaps I’m reading too much into it…but… Vlad was lost in thought, still in his ghost form as his cat jumped into his lap, offering her company until Daniel regained consciousness.

As the elder halfa watched Daniel rest, he took a look around the immaculate room, not one thing out of place. There was a moderate sized oak bookshelf beside his dark grey winged chair, the cushion hardly used. 

For someone who slept in the room almost every night, there weren’t many person belongings adjoining the large room. There was the occasion Packers memorabilia or framed photo with an autograph, but there wasn’t much else. 

The sole items on his nightstand was a small lamp and a digital clock, both only serving a purpose in the morning. 

Looking around the room, he realized how despite being well put together, it seemed to be missing something. Deciding to stop analyzing his room, he looked to the body on the bed, frowning in concern as he stroked Maddie’s white fur, watching Daniel until his cat gave a loud mewl and jumped onto the king-sized bed, kneading the crimson comforter before moving closer to the human on the bed. She mewled again and slowly nudged at the hand with her head, giving a soft purr, hoping to wake him up. 

“Maddie,” Vlad sighed, getting up from his winged reading chair, trying to get her off the bed. “You’re going to disturb him.” Attempting to subtlety removed her from the bed, he noticed movement coming from the younger halfa. 

Placing his cat on one of the bare dresser drawers, he went to Daniel’s side.

___________________________________________

  
It was soft… comfortable… safe…

Danny began to register a delicious spicy cinnamon scent. Very familiar. One that brought the young halfa feelings of comfort and safety. 

Snuggling further into the soft cloud and enveloping warmth, Danny felt the safest he had in a long time, as he was mostly deep in restful unconsciousness.

But there was this slight part of him. A slight part of him that was trying to remove him from his little corner of heaven. A sound. Maybe a feeling? That kept growing louder and louder. 

Something that alerted the young halfa that something was off.

He frowned and turned a bit on the bed, trying desperately to cling to that soft, safe, comfort.

But that feeling would not be ignored.

Slowly, things started registering in his brain. He was on a soft surface. A couch? No. It was too soft and comfortable to be a couch. A bed? Again, to someone who did not know such luxury, it felt too soft to be a bed. He was also under something equally as soft and silky. A sheet?

He now noticed that he was laying down, not sitting, and his senses were telling him that he was somewhere completely unfamiliar. 

And the thought brought on fear. Especially as it registered that the last feeling he remembered was terror.

Danny woke with a start, sitting up so quickly, his head swam and he fell back onto the soft pillow, hands raising to rub his pounding head as his brain scrambled to figure out what the hell was going on.   
___________________________________

“Daniel?” Vlad asked, touching his forearm gently. “Are you-“ He nearly jumped back at the way the younger shot up, before laying back down. It was obvious that the teenager was a mess and perhaps in pain. Slowly, he cleared his throat, hoping to get his attention and ease any worries. 

“You’re okay, little badger.” He promised, the worry pulsing in his core again. Vlad watched him, his lips parting with a sigh. “You passed out and I placed you on my bed....you scared the Hell out of me,” He teased towards the end, allowing a light curse to leave his mouth, hoping it would make the other feel better or even earn a laugh.

Danny heard the other’s curse even through the pain in his pounding head. “Language, Vladimir...” He joked, his voice low and only slightly pained as he mirrored what the elder halfa always said to him when he himself cursed. Even going so far as to include Vlad’s full name, as the elder always used his full name when addressing him. Something that, in the past, had driven him nuts, but now felt… endearing. 

A small smile tugging at his lips. 

“Pardon me, then.” Vlad smirked a bit, glad to hear the teasing tone return to the other. He was starting to look better as well. The color was starting to return to his face and those blue eyes were beginning to look less dazed. 

Danny removed his hands from his face, and adjusted so he sat up against the headboard, looking a bit surprised at Plasmius who stood hovering over him with a… worried expression?

The younger halfa felt his cheeks heat up as a light blush tinted his cheeks, unable to look up at the older halfa. Having Vlad looking at him with that expression made strange feelings return, unrelated to his recent anxiety attack. 

His anxiety attack…

It had not been the first time he had experienced a panic attack. Three times in the past he had lost his shit and was paralized by his anxiety.

Well, now make that four... 

He berated himself. Last thing he wanted was to look weak in front of the elder halfa. Physical strength was one thing (though he did strive to impress Vlad by becoming stronger). But just the thought that Vlad might see him as mentally frail made his heart constrict painfully, hating himself for his weakness. 

He unconsciously curled in on himself.

Never had he experienced panic or anxiety attacks before the accident that had transformed him into Phantom.

“Meooow”

He was pulled from his thoughts by a soft fur feeling touching his fingers as Maddie had jumped back on to the bed and was now rubbing against his hand once more. The white cat looked at him with beautiful blue eyes, her gaze looking almost worried.

He gave a soft smile, lifting his hand to pet the concerned kitty. “Were you worried about me?” He said in amusement, still not looking at the older halfa.

“She seems to like you.” Vlad spoke with a barely-there smile, warmth flowing through his core at the sight of his care curling around Daniel and purring. Maddie could be a fickle thing at times, but she was once of the sweetest cats he’d ever met. It was part of the reason he had picked her in the first place.After a short time, he forced himself to look away.

After a bit of petting, Danny addressed Plasmius, without lifting his gaze off of the kitty who now laid contentedly on his lap. “... I guess I must have been allergic to something in the recipe. Hahahaha…” He said half heartedly, knowing full well that they both knew it was bullshit, but not having the courage to say what it had really been.

Vlad frowned when the younger halfa used a hellacious excuse. 

Part of him wanted to address what happened, but there was something holding him back from speaking up. Was it his right to point out the obvious, or was it something he needed to give Daniel space on? 

There was something they both had in common, and that was their stubbornness. Neither of them would admit to needing help until the last minute or when all other options had failed them. 

He was at a loss on what to do or say. 

But there was the nagging sensation forming at the pit of his gut when Daniel refused to meet his gaze again, and he knew something had to be done. He wasn’t sure why, but the fact that the other wouldn’t even look at him made his stomach churn unpleasantly. Thinking back to when all Hell broke loose, the elder Halfa sat at the edge of the bed, preparing to say something but faltering. 

What if I’m wrong about his reaction? I’ve been wrong before… Knowing he had to say something, Vlad cleared his throat. 

“Moving back to Wisconsin was something I merely thought about, it’s not decided yet. I might stay here…if you’d prefer.” He added, looking away as his core warmed up, face flushing slightly.

Danny’s heart rate sped up and his rhythmic petting of the beautiful white cat stilled for just a moment at Vlad’s words. Then continued to stroke the lovable, purring cat, as he processed what the elder had said with increasing hopefulness.

‘He might not move...” Happiness swelled within at the thought, something he knew she should not be feeling for his archnemesis.

But, try as he might, he could no longer deny that he wanted the older halfa around. Especially considering his intense reaction upon hearing the news. 

There was something about Vlad that made him feel… whole.

But why??

Thinking about it, there was no one else who sparked such an intense, obsessive attachment. Closest people he could think about were his two best friends, but it was not even close to the same thing. In four months (two months after their high school graduation), Sam and Tucker would leave Amity, both having been accepted to colleges in other States. States too far away to just simply drive to. This summer would be the last time they lived near each other. This would be the first time they lived in separate States since they met in first grade. It was painful to think about.

But by no means had it been close to the despair and dread he felt when he thought Vlad would move away...

Try as he might, he could not figure out what was so special about the other halfa. 

But one thing he did know, was at this moment he needed to do anything he could to keep the other here in Amity. 

But how?

He could not just outright confess that he wanted the elder to stay! That he actually felt some sort of strange attachment and that life did not feel right without him in it…

A clear blush tinted his face at how that thought actually sounded.

Definitely the elder’s frootloopiness was rubbing off on him…

Danny bit his lower lip as he debated how he would accomplish keeping the older halfa in Amity Park without receiving a hit to his pride or sounding like a complete lunatic.

Sure, Vlad just said he would stay if Danny wanted, but what if he only said that so he would lower his guard to later ridicule him if he did admit to wanting the elder to stay? He thought with worry.

Vlad, on the other hand, contemplated his indecision to move. At no point in his life had Vlad left a decision open in the air like this before, there must be something seriously wrong with him to want input from a mere eighteen-year-old who had no experience living on his own. For a reason he couldn’t explain, it felt like there was more at play, but what it was, he had no idea. 

Why did it feel like he was giving Daniel something so much more important than a simple ‘should I move’ question? His mind was reeling as to why it felt that way, but he pushed it all away, knowing it wouldn’t do justice to dwell on the unknown aspect until he heard the other's opinion. 

But as Daniel continued to think, Vlad couldn’t help but dwell on certain thoughts. 

Like why he had assumed the other halfa wanted him to stay, despite only having a certain amount of evidence for it. Yes, he was a genius, but that didn’t automatically mean he was always right. He had his fair share of mistakes, which had bitten him in the butt after the fact. 

Out of all the possibilities, there was only one Danny could think of that would have the least amount of damage to his pride and keep Vlad here in Amity Park. 

He sighed, trying to be as nonchalant as he could as he caressed Maddie. “Well, if you don’t want to be Mayor anymore, I guess there is no reason why you should stay. Especially if it is true that you are no longer after my mother.” He watched the elder’s reaction as best as he could through the corner of his eyes as he suppressed a bit of anger at the fact that Vlad had feelings towards his mother. 

He almost missed the slight blush on the other prior to his comment.

But he dismissed it. His sight must be playing tricks on him. Plasmius did not blush. 

Vlad had been so lost in thought that he almost didn’t hear Daniel speak up, and when he did, his heart sank into the pit of his stomach. The nonchalant tone made his disappointment worse, but he pushed it away quickly, not wanting to show how deeply the words had cut.

I guess there is no reason why you should stay. Rang in his mind, a soft sigh leaving his lips as the truth came out, but he forced a neutral look on his own face, not wanting to show his weakness. 

“I suppose you’re right. Once I realized I was more obsessed with your mother than truly being in love with her, I backed off. There isn’t much keeping me here these days…” 

Besides you. As soon as that thought entered his mind, he flushed again, looking away once more.

Seriously, where the fuck had that come from? A little embarrassed by his own thoughts, he forced down the flush and glanced at Daniel, who was still on his bed. It was odd seeing someone else on his bed, the size of it a reminder of his loneliness. Looking at the younger Halfa petting his cat, Vlad was struck with the reminder that this was once his nemesis. The same one who had suggested that he get a cat in the first place. 

And the same one he no longer wanted to fight. 

“It’s strange knowing how much has changed, isn’t it?”

As the man had begun to speak, Danny picked up on something small. Had Vlad seemed… sad at his comment?

His hopes rose. Maybe that meant that he wanted to stay!

Danny tried not to smile when he heard that Vlad was no longer obsessed with winning his mother’s love, feeling a deep sense of victory. 

However, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach when Vlad said he did not have anything else to stay for.

But… what about him?? 

Hadn’t Vlad been so obsessed with making him his son? Though the thought disgusted him, it still made him feel needed by the elder, not realizing just how much he wanted to feel needed by Vlad.

Hell, that had been the entire Ace up his sleeve to keep Vlad to stay!!!

His plan had been to nonchalantly say that Plasmius had no reason to stay, then say something along the lines of ‘Well, it’s a shame you have to leave, since your no longer evil I was going to let you train me’ or something of the sort, but now what!!!

Danny’s eyes began to water as he fought tooth and nail to not let it show and contained the tears that threatened to fall. Feeling a pain soo deep, he felt like his heart would break.

‘It’s strange knowing how much has changed, isn’t it?’ Vlad was right. They had changed. Maybe there was no hope to keep the older halfa here. Maybe Vlad no longer wanted him and that’s why he had stopped antagonizing him as his archnemesis... 

Vlad continued, a small smirk on his lips. “I am prepared to offer you something, Daniel. I think it would benefit both of us in the long run, wherever we may end up. How would you like a truce? No more fighting.”

He honestly had no idea why he hadn’t asked this sooner. It always came up when he was doing something else, like reading business proposals or executive summaries. Now was the perfect time to change their relationship. 

Nemesis was a thing of the past, which they seemed to be in turmoil with.

Danny had almost missed what Vlad had said next, so absorbed in his depressive thoughts of the inevitability of the older halfa leaving him. However, his head shot up and he stared at the elder questioningly, with a slight glint of hope. 

But, a truce was not enough. Sure they could have a truce, but that did not mean the man would still stay in Amity. The young halfa quickly jumped on the opportunity that just presented itself, even if it may not interest the elder. “Well… if we are establishing a truce, meaning you would never flirt with my mother, try to kill my father, or try to take over the world-” He stared determinedly at Plasmius to make sure the other knew he was dead serious on those three conditions. Even going so far as to shine his neon green eyes at him. “-then I would have no objections to training with you.” 

He had tried to keep his voice steady throughout the speech, but faltered a tiny bit at the end as doubt crept in as to whether the older halfa really even wanted him anymore. 

In all honesty, Vlad wasn’t sure how Daniel would react to the idea of a truce between them, not since they had spent the better part of two years fighting. Those fights were more than just petty arguments or bantering turned sour- there had been true animosity between them that had boiled over into hatred at times. 

Then there was the sad fact that he had once been obsessed with having the other halfa as his son, going as far as to try and clone him to make a perfect halfa family. Thinking back to those times sickened him, the fact that he had done such ludicrous plots was like a slap to the face. 

Why had he been so obsessed with making Daniel his son? It seemed to fuel his motivation for most of his diabolical schemes. He had stopped pursuing Maddie long before he stopped his villainous activities, he realized. Most of his later schemes always involved Daniel and trying to get the younger on his side, even going as far as to leave Maddie Fenton alone. 

But after time, even that desire had shifted. Vlad hadn’t thought of making the younger halfa his son in well over a year. The thought no longer sat right with him. It hadn’t set right ever since their cores had fully developed and the other went through puberty. 

The missing piece in his chest only tightened when he thought of Daniel as a son, the idea making his core shudder in disgust. Turning back to the other, he felt himself freeze at the sight of wet eyes, his entire being screaming at him to make things right. 

Had he said something wrong? Was Daniel-

Before he could panic and move closer, his little badger began to speak up, the following words like a balm to his soul.

The conditions were already met and the hope flared back to life, unconsciously moving closer to Daniel as the other spoke, those vibrant green eyes pulling him in. 

“Those are strict conditions,” He mumbled with a smile, pretending to think about them. “But I think I can manage them.” There was a gleam that returned to his eyes, his core pulsing with a happiness he had never experienced. 

“That is, if you think you’re up to my training regimen, Daniel.” Vlad teased, stroking his hair unconsciously, unaware of what he was doing until he flushed. 

It is rather soft... Vlad realized, forcing himself to move his hand away.

As Plasmius approached, one would have expected Danny’s reaction to have moved away. To go on the defense and prepare for potential harm. Especially as Vlad was in his ghost form and he was in his human form.

But that fear was far from the reaction.

Danny unconsciously leaned forward as Plasmius approached, earlier emotions and fear of losing the elder making him want proximity with Vlad without him even being aware of what his heart wanted.

He even closed his eyes and leaned into the black gloved hand, even letting out a low pleasurable hum. Showing such lowered defenses, such incredible trust in his long time nemesis that the other wouldn’t harm him. His heart did a lovely flip as he absentmindedly thought, letting out a pleasurable sigh, that it was soo uniquely Plasmius, a ghost with a fire core, that his touch was comfortingly warm.

God, had he missed that physical contact.

Even from the first time they met, there had been something that ground him when feeling Vlad’s touch, even when he had been adverse to it before. It had developed into something he got used to. Something familiar.

Somehow there had always been physical contact with the elder when they happened to be near one another. Be it when they were fighting as Phantom and Plasmius, or in human form, where Vlad had always placed a firm hand on his back when he wanted to guide him somewhere or a hand on his shoulder when they stood next to each other. 

Danny’s eyes snapped open when he felt the warm hand leave and he blushed profusely, grimacing and looking very much away from the ghost beside him. 

OMG, what had he been thinking…

Trying desperately to distract himself from the strange flutter in his stomach and the warmth in his heart, he looked around the guest room for anything interesting. 

At least, he had assumed it was a guest room…

Now that he was looking closer, he noticed a few packers memorabilia and a couple of signed framed photos on the walls. His blush actually deepened as and his eyes widened as he saw a beautiful plush cat bed near the bed, and a few other items neatly arranged on the oak bookshelf and nightstand.

This… this was not a guest room… Vlad would not have some signed packers memorabilia or a cat bed in every guest room in his home…

And the spicy cinnamon scent that was unique to Vlad. That scent he had been subtly noticing the entire time… was not entirely due to the elder halfa standing beside him.

It was because his scent was on the sheets. These bed sheets.

This was Vlad’s personal room!

His… (And the halfa almost had a hypothetical heart attack at the realization). His bed.

The final nail to the coffin was his brain helpfully reminding him of a detail the elder had said just a bit earlier, confirming what he just realized; ‘You passed out and I placed you on my bed…’

‘...placed you on my bed…’

‘...on my bed…’

Danny could feel it. His skin was probably redder than Plasmius’ skin was blue. He was sure of it.

It had took all of Vlad’s restraint to not resume petting the snow-white hair, his fingers itching to touch the younger halfa in some way, whether that be his hair or shoulder. The sound of approval had almost broken all of his restraint, which was barely holding itself together with a threadbare string. He wanted nothing more than to press closer and run his hands through that soft hair, or even down the lithe back. 

There was always a chill in Daniel’s body that cooled him down whenever they touched. His core was a roaring fire and the ice core seemed to cool him down, like a relaxing dip in cool water on a hot day. 

His core wasn’t uncomfortable anymore, it had been when the ability first unlocked, but beside a powerful ice core, it created the perfect temperature. Occasionally, he wondered what would happen if they were to press their hands together while using their elemental powers. 

It was something he thought about too often in the middle of a conference, or when he laid in his bed at night with no chance of sleep coming, only thoughts of his former nemesis. 

Now that Vlad allowed himself to think about it, his thoughts were often about the younger halfa, even if he hadn’t been aware until now. In most of the dull meetings, he would keep his mind active and engaged with thoughts of Daniel, like how far his powers had come along over the years, or how quick thinking he was. Being in such close proximity to each other was making him understand how long they had been apart for, and why his core was still pulsing to move closer to the blushing teenager on his bed. 

That imagery is what shook him from his thoughts, the sight before him making his core give another pulse and cry to move closer, the need to run a hand through the hair again increasing tenfold. Before he let his instincts control him, he let his gaze trail over the younger halfa on his bed, cementing everything to his memory for reasons he didn’t ask himself yet.

There was something heartwarming about Maddie curled into a ball on Daniel’s lap, her white fur like a beacon of light on the burgundy comforter. She was as content as any cat could be, a pleased look on her face as she dozed. As for Daniel. Vlad couldn’t tear his gaze away from the flush that stained those pale cheeks, his hand immediately moving to carefully touch the white hair again, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop himself. 

Danny’s stunned thought at being in Vlad’s bedroom and on the man’s bed flew out the window when he sensed the Plasmius’ gloved hand made a gesture to return to his hair, his core pulsing faster and at a strange (but pleasant) rhythm. 

His core. Danny had not even realized when he had become Phantom, the pull to be in proximity of the elder halfa almost doubling in strength. 

That hot fire core that helped warm his icy cold core. 

Danny had contact with other fire core ghosts on multiple occasions, Ember and Skulker to name a few. But none ever, ever matched Vlad’s. Plasmius’ core always seemed to call for him somehow. 

He had not realized this until now.

Unknowingly he leaned into the touch once more. Losing himself in the gentle touch as he unconsciously moved even closer to the older halfa, his core pulsing even quicker as butterflies fluttered in his stomach, too far gone to really think about what was going on. All thoughts overwhelmed by the need to get closer.

Vlad was used to every form that Daniel took, and it only fueled his instinct to stroke the soft hair, barely having caught onto the fact that they were both in their ghost forms. There was always a level of intimacy between them that hadn’t made itself known until now, his ghost half constantly seeking the others attention or touching him in some way. Yes, their physical intimacy in their ghost forms had often been punches or blasts, but there were moments where Vlad could remember reaching out to hold the other unconsciously. 

But how could he stop himself from stroking that soft hair when the same person leaned into his touch for more? How could he stop himself from moving closer when the other person pressed into him, almost no space between them on his large bed. 

It was as if their cores were connected, or pieces of a puzzle that slotted together perfectly to fill in the missing pieces. Was he the only one who felt the connection in their cores? He couldn’t be, at least if the way Daniel gazed at him was any indication of the mysterious pull they had. 

“Do you plan on staying here tonight?” Vlad asked, unsure where the question came from. “It is getting late and I wasn’t sure if you had plans with your family tonight.” He continued the slow caress of the white hair, a light blush on his own cheeks. 

There’s no denying that I want him to stay….to keep him close to me. Vlad internally realized, unaware of how close they were. 

Being this close to Daniel was nice, there was no way he could ignore it. After not seeing him in so long, the need to be close was outweighing any of his rational thoughts. 

When he looked at the other, he was surprised to see how close they had moved to each other in a short span of time. He couldn’t dare pull away though. 

It felt right…

But that didn’t mean Daniel would stay. He likely had things to do and having his hair played with probably wasn’t one of them. Still, he watched him from the corner of his crimson eyes, allowing himself a few peaceful moments.

Danny’s core fluttered at the question. Truth was, he had no idea what time it was, nor how long he had been unconscious on Vlad’s bed.

‘It is getting late’

The miniscule part of him that was aware (if but barely) was slightly amused, and he gave a small chuckle at the elder’s comment. 

How many nights had he returned late to his house when he ran into a ghost he needed to capture? 1am, 3am, even sometimes 5am. Late was not really an equation for when he could head hom.

But he didn’t want to go home. 

His confusing emotions pulled an impulse to stay. To use the weak excuse just to be even closer to Vlad.

Before his conscious mind even realized what he was about to do, he started to speak: “Ye--”

A musical beat, sounding like a unique ringtone ((Think the score from Danny Phantom opening scene)), sounded from his chest. Breaking whatever spell he had been under. 

He flushed a deep green once more and leaned back, looking down at his own chest as the music kept playing.

Danny felt Maddie had startled as was now looking up at him with a worried expression. He lifted his white gloved hand and began caressing the soft fur of the startled kitty. “It’s okay...”. He said in a calming and comforting voice he had never used in front of the elder before. “It’s only my phone. You're safe. I won’t let anything hurt you.” He cooed. 

Maddie started to relax again, lowering her head, but keeping her blue eyes open in curiosity. She had been used to random calls when she was on her master, but had just been startled by the odd tone she was not used to.

The music ended. 

Vlad didn’t want Daniel to leave tonight. He wanted to keep the other halfa at his side, not understanding why he’s so desperate for the younger to stay with him. 

Yes, he’s lonely, but it’s nothing he hasn’t dealt with before. Whatever reasoning he has for keeping Daniel close is terrifyingly new and powerful, the depths of his want surprising even him. 

His heart gives a painful lurch when the other starts to speak, his core blazing with energy at the clear admission to wanting to stay, but the universe is cruel, and Daniel is interrupted. It should bother him more than it does, but maybe it’s the fact that he’s used to waiting on getting what he wants and working for it. 

Vlad earned everything from working and waiting, whether that be using his mind, or his ghost powers to move things along.

The ringtone amuses him for some odd reason, the sound something entirely unique, but also something Daniel would have. He sadly removes his hand from the soft hair, having a gut feeling that after the phone call, there would be an end to the closeness for the night. 

What a shame that we had to be interrupted. Vlad thought to himself, having enjoyed having Daniel’s attention all to himself. And from the look of it, Daniel had also enjoyed having his attention. 

Something inside of him tightens at the way the younger Halfa talks to his cat, his core fluttering as he watches the exchange. He’s never seen this side of Daniel before and in that moment, he wants nothing more than to see it again in the future. 

God, he really was a fruitloop, wasn’t he?

The ringing started up again.

Phantom sighed, resigned as he turned part of his hand intangible and inserted it into his chest and pulled out a small phone.

He had two phones. His normal phone when he was Fenton (that disappeared when he transformed) and this one when he was Phantom.

This was no ordinary phone though.

Being a half-ghost living with ghost hunting parents who constantly created ghost destroying technology meant Danny had to find ways to sabotage or modify the weapons so they did not harm him. In order to best do this, he was learning about electronics and mechanics with the help of Tucker and, surprisingly, his mom. Though she thought he was doing it for very different reasons than to learn how to save his own skin. It had actually turned into a very nice hobby that helped increase mother-son bonding.

This phone, the Phantom phone, was especially designed to match his ecto signature almost to a ‘T’. This enabled the device to disappear if he was touching it as Phantom and automatically appear when he transformed. Just like his jumpsuit did.

It was soo convenient to have it inside his body. Too many times had he lost the device, or have it destroyed by an attack while fighting ghosts. But as a ghost, he did not have the same internal organs as a human and there were plenty of gaps, as he later discovered. His body could take a lot of abuse during fights so it was as if he was a walking reinforced storage container!

Though you can bet all your money that he did not stick the thing into his body until after a thousand tests with the device in his hand or custom holder. He did not even want to think about what would happen if he transformed back to human with a phone in his body that did not phase with his ghost half.

It took a lot of trial and error to make it work just right and it was incredibly handy. It enabled a means for his friends to contact him or him having the ability to contact them should he need back up. His normal phone would never work as, with everything else he had on or held at the time of transformation, would disappear into the ether.

He half wondered if Plasmius had figured out an explanation as to why this happened, or knew where the things/clothes when during ghost transformation only to return when he transformed back to human. 

Phantom did not look at Plasmius as he sighed, keeping his attention on the phone he held in his hand. Too confused and disoriented and quite frankly mentally drained from whatever all this had been about, including his little panic attack. 

He lifted the Phantom phone screen to his ear without even glancing to see who called. There were only two people who had this special number.

“DANNY!!!” A female voice shouted.

His sensitive hearing made this exclamation painful and he quickly moved the phone away from his ear as the woman on the other end continued in a very worried tone. 

“Are you okay?!”

“Dude!” A male voice slightly further away also shouted, also highly concerned. “Where are you? We can’t track you!?”

Danny felt only partially guilty hearing their highly worried tones. Before coming to Vlad’s mansion, he had deactivated the tracking device on both his phones. Last thing he wanted was his friends realizing he had come to his archnemesis’ lair due to the paranoia he hid from them.

The only reason both his phones had a tracker installed in them (only accessible by Tucker and Sam) was for the purposes of ghost fighting. During a battle, he likely did not have time to figure out exactly where he was or tell his friends this information for them to come assist. There was also the fact that should he pass out and return to Fenton or be captured in either form, they would be able to find and help him.

“Yeah!!” The female voice continued. “Was it a ghost? Was it Plasmius??”

His core did a little flip at the mention of the older halfa standing right next to him and pulsed rapidly. Yes, technically this whole thing… everything odd with all this was the frootloop’s fault. 

Just not in the way he was sure his two friends thought. 

Doing his best to ignore the strange feelings, Phantom returned the phone to his ear. He looked to the other side of the wall in the opposite direction Plasmius was. “I’m fine… The tracker must have been malfunctioning.” He lied. Funny how lying had become such a core part of his life, that at some point he even began lying to the two closest people in his life.

Vlad had been rudely brought from his thoughts when he heard a scream on the phone, his lips twitching slightly in displeasure. Like all ghosts, they have sensitive hearing, so loud humans often displeased them. It wasn’t so much an issue with other ghosts but being in their ghost form and hearing loud humans was always a rough experience. 

Ghost physiology was always something that interested him, but it held even more mystery when combined with what he and Daniel were. He used to spend hours upon hours researching the difference in their powers in comparison to people who were fully ghost. Their senses were heightened, along with most of their powers, asides from a few of the ancient ghosts, like Pariah Dark. 

Blinking, he barely registered what the people on the other end were saying until his name came up, making him give a small smirk. They weren’t completely wrong.

“What??!” His two friends exclaimed in shock hearing that it had all been a malfunction in the phone. “Danny, we have been trying to get a hold of you for a couple hours!” The woman’s voice sounded angry, yet still holding worry in the tone. Her volume went down, but was still audible by a sensitive ghost hearing like Vlad’s. 

“Sorry. I silenced my phone.” That had been true. He had silenced his phone when observing the older halfa in his study. 

“Are you sure man?” The male voice also sounded a little unsure.

Danny placed a hand behind his neck. “Hahaha! Yeah. I’m totally fine!” 

“Then where the hell are you?” The woman's voice sounded more annoyed and angry now.

Phantom froze, then winced when he looked to the digital clock beside the night stand. *11:45pm*

‘Awww SHIT!’ He internally panicked. ‘It's the opening night of Dead Teacher 6. He had been supposed to meet his two friends at 11:30pm at the front of the theatre for their reserved seating. 

The trio had made it a tradition to go to the opening night of the Dead Teacher movie series since the first movie came out. And this was likely going to be the last time the three would watch this movie on opening night at the same theatre together.

And he did not want to go…

These were his friends! His best friends for crying out loud! Why the hell should anyone, especially his archnemesis be able to come between that? What the hell is wrong with him!

Hating himself for his feelings, he gently, but quickly moved Maddie off of his lap. “I-I just got distracted!” He got off of the bed, ignoring the strong pull to stay. “I’m on my way!”

“Fine, but hurry up. We are pushing time on our end to get there since somebody had us scared half to death. And Tucker, don’t you dare make a joke right now!” The woman’s voice stated angrily before hanging up the phone. 

Danny winced at the tone. There was going to be hell waiting for him…

He sighed as he inserted the phone back into his chest while standing next to the bed, looking down at the floor as an empty feeling began weighing him down. “I have to go…” He half whispered sadly.

If it were up to Vlad, Daniel wouldn’t be leaving his side tonight, but it wasn’t his decision to make. The other halfa had plans with his friends that he had certainly forgotten about in his company.

There was a selfish part of him that preened at the knowledge that Daniel had lost track of time and forgotten about all others but him.

That thought sends a jolt through him, the implications of that sentiment nearly making his core boil. 

Vlad quickly shoves the thoughts away and focuses back on the conversation Daniel was having, trying his best to not reach forward to stop the other from moving away. Instead, he carefully pats Maddie’s soft fur to distract his hands. She mewls happily and nuzzles into the warmth, purring deeply as she starts to knead the silky comforter. 

Whatever it was that Daniel had planned with his friends must have been important, given the way those sky-blue eyes had widened and panicked. To make matters worse, his two close friends didn’t seem to be pleased, especially the girl. If memory served him correctly, it was the goth girl. 

Hadn’t Daniel dated her at one point? 

The thought sends an uncomfortable feeling through his body, a wave of dread and what might be possessiveness rising in him, before settling into something bothersome. He ignores it, not wanting to worry Daniel at his own conflicting emotions. 

I have to go. Daniel looks sad at saying that and it is a consolation. If anything, it sounds like the younger man would rather stay here.

Vlad has to resist using that to his advantage, but he knows he can’t do that to Daniel. His friends have always been important and Vlad isn’t about to get in the way of that. 

Consciously, Vlad had been somewhat aware of the fact that he had missed the company of the other halfa, but he only understood the full extent of it now. It was something you were aware of, but once you saw how deep it went, it was like getting hit with a ton of bricks to the chest. It raised the question as to why he never noticed until now. Vlad’s core couldn’t stop shining or pulsing in content when Daniel was near him, specifically at arm’s length or pressed against his warm hands. 

Had his core always reacted that way with the proximity of the other, or were the strong feelings always there, merely strengthened as time went on? It was a question he would have to answer once Daniel was gone or when he didn’t have abandoned work laying on his table. 

Ah yes, he still had those documents on his desk that needed to be read through. All of his time and energy had been assigned to Daniel that he completely forgot about his own work. It wasn’t that hard to forget about the documents, though. It was a drag to get through the endless papers. 

“I know, little badger.” Vlad gets up slowly, hand once more reaching out to stroke his hair, not bothering to stop himself. 

Phantom could not help the small smile that tugged on his lips when the elder halfa reached once more for his snow-white hair. ‘Great.’ He thought with mirth. ‘Now my hair is a replacement for his cat’. Though he made no move to stop or move away from the touch, barely able to contain a chuckle and slightly leaning in to the touch, eyes closing again.

God had he missed Vlad's touch. 

Danny made a mental note to analyze that thought later. He really, really needed to fly fast to meet his friends before the movie began. 

Vlad knew he was walking a thin line by betting the teen’s hair, however, he wouldn’t be Plasmius if he didn’t push things a bit, would he?

“You should go before I’m tempted to keep you here with me.” Vlad says before he can think to stop himself, the word a quiet whisper that makes his core heat up more. 

Maybe by admitting to Daniel that he is wanted here, it would help the younger understand that he was just as affected by their encounter.

Plasmius’ words had Danny’s core fluttering and his skin flush a light green. 

Before he knew it, the teen responded without thinking, a playful smirk on his face. “Maybe I will just have to come back soon, then~” His tone mischievous and frankly, coming out a little bit flirty. 

His green eyes widened and he coughed nervously in his white gove when he noticed how that came out and quickly backpedaled, his tanned skin in Phantom form tinting even more green in embarrassment. “I-I mean, since we are going to train... sometime or other...”

He seriously needed to get out of here.

Vlad’s breath catches in his throat, brain short-circuiting at Danie’s words as his core flares that the tone of voice. Vlad shouldn’t have heated up the way he did, but there was no denying that the words and tone had affected him. There was a dark green blush tinting his blue skin, the urge to have the other stay stronger than ever. 

“I’ll hold you to that, Daniel.” Vlad mumbled with a smirk, one of his fangs peeking out. There must have been something in his voice as well, for he flushed darker at the realization that he had nearly purred the words.

God, what was wrong with him?

“Yes, uh..we’ll work out a time for your training schedule eventually.” Vlad hastens to say, aware that they never agreed on a date to start. They can figure that out at a later time when they’re not working with a busy schedule.

The light catches Plasmius’ fang just right, and Danny stares for a brief second, almost transfixed, then quickly looks away, very much pretending that hadn’t happened, immediately floating in the air. “Hahaha, well!” He said in an overly loud, nervous voice, hand behind his neck. “Time to go!” He began to fly off, turning just before he was out of the bedroom to address the older halfa. “Cat’cha later, Frootloop!” He said cheerfully, flying out into the night. 

Vlad does feel a sense of forlorn once Daniel starts to fly off, but he pushes it away and says his goodbyes, watching as the teen flies off. Chucking, he shakes his head at the antics and turns to look at Maddie, who is gazing at him with a sad look in her eyes. 

“Don’t worry, darling. He’ll be back eventually.” He promises, scratching her chin slowly before getting up and heading into the other room where his papers are. Vlad sighs at them and sits down, resigning himself for another night of little, to no sleep as he starts on the next document.


	3. Reencounter

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

Danny was in the basement, currently sitting on a swivel chair at one of the wordstations, staring forward in a daze, mind going back to that strange evening.

‘What was that?’

He had experienced feelings and sensations that he never felt before and couldn't, try as he might, put it into words. 

But… having time to think about it, Vlad had also seemed strange… Had the elder felt the same strange sensations he did as well?

A slight blush came to his cheeks at the thought, remembering the look in those crimson eyes. Times where he swore he saw green tinting the powerful halfa’s cheeks.

He shifted a bit in his chair as he thought of that charming, fanged smirk the powerful halfa gave right before he left. And that voice soft as velvet, yet deep and strong. 

He shook his head in an attempt to clear his head of these strange thoughts and feelings. It had all seemed somewhat like a dream, almost as if he had imagined it all.

Absentmindedly, he lifted his hand to hover above his head, his scalp feeling a slight tingling sensation at the memory of that warm, gentle touch of Vlad’s hand. 

No. It had been real.

But… why had he felt all those strange sensations? What did it all mean?

It all happened the Friday before last. It was now Saturday. A week and one day after the encounter and Danny had not found the courage to return to Master’s manor.

He and his friends had been able to get to the theatre on time. Danny had tried his damn hardest to focus entirely on the movie and his time with his two friends.

Needless to say, he failed miserably. He really paid much attention to what had been going on, being distracted by earlier events, and the sleepover with his friends had not been enough to distract him either. 

Fear about how the older halfa might react to him next the man saw him made him hesitate to see the other the next day, or the next (his two days off before Monday’s school). But to be honest, he was also afraid of how he would react next time he saw the billionaire.

What if he had those strange feelings again? What if he said or did something strange that made him look like a complete fool to the older halfa? Like that panic attack…

He passed a hand over his face, ashamed.

Vlad had seen him have a panic attack…

What did Plasmius think of him now? Did he think him weak minded after seeing him lose his shit so epically? 

God did he want to just hide in a rock and never come out.

“Honey, are you okay?”

A gentle hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality, noticing the electronic device he was holding and remembering that he was helping his mother with ghost hunting technology. He looked up seeing his mother’s concerned face. 

Doing his best to hide his worries, he gave her a bright smile. “Yeah mom. I’m fine.”

Maddie sighed, unconvinced, and sat next to her son, moving a hand on top of the teen’s. “Danny. I know it hurts to know that your friends will leave for another State soon.” She said gently as Danny lowered his gaze sadly. “But things change. People change. And you will miss them deeply” She gave him a smile. “But you will make new friends. And, even though it may not be the same, it will be wonderfully different in its own way.”

‘New friends…’ His mother’s words echoed in his mind, his thoughts immediately traveling to the silver haired halfa and the proposed truce.

Could he be friends with his ex-nemesis?

Ex-nemesis. It sounded odd to say. Especially relating to the elder halfa with whom they had been at their throats not that long ago.

Okay. Maybe longer than he gave it credit for, since it had been almost two years since they really fought.

Maybe… just maybe he could try to be friends with Vlad. He had to admit that he loved the time he had spent with the older halfa. Preparing food, eating dinner, the conversation on Vlad’s bed-

The last thought made him blush once more and he pushed down the odd butterflies in his stomach. 

Lifting his gaze back to his mother, he gave her a genuine smile. “Thanks mom. You're right.”

Maddie ruffled her son’s raven hair teasingly. “Am I ever wrong?” She joked.

His heart constricted painfully at the touch, a deep longing and wish that it had been Vlad’s hand in his hair instead.

_______________________________________

  
Vlad wasn’t fairing much better than Daniel was, but the elder halfa distracted himself with his mountains of paperwork and important meetings. If he stopped to think about Daniel for even a moment, his entire mind would be taken up by the teenager and he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on any of his work. 

All of that was easier said than done. Try as he might, the billionaire couldn’t get a moment's break from his ever-running mind, his thoughts always cycling. How many times would he sit at his desk at work and be reminded of Daniel’s smile, or his laugh that made those iridescent eyes sparkle-

See? Even now, Vlad couldn’t escape his treacherous mind. One moment he was reading through some boring documents drafted by imbeciles, and then the next he was missing Daniel and craving his company. His core pulsed with a desire to see the younger, but he was afraid of the outcome. 

In the past week, Vlad often wondered what would have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted, or if Daniel had decided to stay. His entire body burned at the unanswered question, his stomach churning at the endless thoughts. 

Would he have done something foolish, or would he have destroyed their already fragile relationship? 

The thought of the latter made his stomach churn again, but this time in discomfort. 

He pushes the thoughts to the back of his mind, not wanting to think too hard or too much on it. What good was it to worry about something that didn’t happen? Because in the end, Daniel had decided against staying the night and joined his friends for their planned outing. 

Sighing, Vlad gazes at the paper in his hand, seeing the words without reading them. He had been doing that for the better part of the entire week, his mind always elsewhere. His thoughts revolved around Daniel and try as he might, it was getting harder and harder to ignore the empty presence.

Once Daniel had left, there was something missing and his cat seemed to notice it too. She would often look at him with sad eyes and tilt her head, as if asking when the other man would return. Maddie was insightful for a mere cat, always sensing his emotions before he did sometimes. 

“Mr. Masters?” Looking up from the paper, his secretary came in with another stack. “These were faxed over from I.Tech Headquarters. They’re dealing with a security breach and won’t be able to hold the meeting. Instead, they sent these for you to go over.” She had closed the door before telling him, handing over the stack of papers. 

Delighted at not having another meeting to attend this week, Vlad accepted the papers with a sigh. 

“You’re free to go, sir. You’ve done everything required of you today.” Giving a small smile, Vlad slowly stood up. 

“I think I might head home early. Thank you for the papers, Cynthia. Oh, and Happy early Birthday.” Vlad smiled, making the woman blush. Tomorrow was her birthday, but the office was closed on Sundays. She smiled a little more, still flushed. 

“Thank you, Mr. Masters.” She let her hand linger on the papers before leaving, which Vlad ignored in favor of placing them into a folder as he headed out. Cynthia flushed more and quickly headed out, missing the way the billionaire rolled his eyes. 

As he left his office, the strong desire to seek Daniel out returned at full force, his hands clenching the steering wheel tightly. “Damn it,” Vlad cursed to himself, forcing himself to drive home. Maddie needed to be fed.

Besides, what good would it do to seek the younger out? He was likely enjoying the last few months he would have with his friends and focusing on that ending relationship. From what he had been told, the trio would be splitting up with his two friends moving into different states.

He needed to let Daniel come to him with the younger halfa was ready. 

Why did that bother him, though? 

Why was he always restless without the other halfa close by? 

Why did he miss the teenager this much? 

That was one of the main things that hadn’t taken long for him to figure out. He missed Daniel horribly. 

Sighing, he unlocked his door and smiled at the soft mewl. “Is someone hungry?’ He asked, crouching down to pick her up. She purred and nuzzled his chin, letting him know how much he was missed. “How about a special treat tonight? Tuna?” He grinned at her purr and walked into the kitchen, getting fresh tuna that Maddie occasionally enjoyed. 

“Here you go, darling.” He smiled, watching as she happily ate the offered food, her tail twitching back and forth in pleasure. 

With his documents in hand, Vlad placed them in his study and sat down, sighing as he started to work.

________________________________

The next day after that conversation with his mother, Danny flew over to Vad’s manor, determined to finally face the elder halfa.

He went invisible as he approached the gates, making sure no onlooker saw Phantom enter Master’s Manor.

Danny hesitated when he had approached the front of the mansion, hovering there. Should he just fly in? Or should he knock at the front door?

He bit his lip and winced when he asked himself if he had ever come to Vlad’s place through the front door… which was never.

Any time he went to visit the millionaires properties it had always been as Phantom. Always to stop an evil scheme or just simply spy on the elder. 

Maybe he should ring the doorbell like a normal person…

Hiding behind one of Vlad’s topiaries, he transformed back to human form making sure to unwrinkle his shirt and dust his clothing so he was presentable. Until he stopped, realizing; ‘Why the hell should I care about my appearance in front of him?’ He never had before. Why now?

He shook his head, attributing his oddness to his nerves related to this new ‘truce’ thing they had just started. It was new, and he was honestly not sure how to interact with the older halfa in ways other than hostility and animosity, having done so for so long.

Sticking his hands in his jean pockets, he walked up to the large elegant front door. Letting out a heavy sigh, he lifted his hand, hesitating for a moment.

What if Vlad was not home?

It was entirely plausible, after all, the billionaire had a busy life with his businesses along with being mayor of Amity. In all likelihood, the man was not even home. He promptly ignored the pang of sadness that thought caused.

But what if the man was home? 

Danny could feel his heart speed up at the thought, and he gulped nervously. He had not seen the older halfa for the past week and two days (again, Danny was not keeping count) and thoughts of the billionaire kept clouding his mind and making him feel weird things.

Like now. Chaos filled the poor teen’s mind as two forces battled for dominance in his emotions; Excitement to finally see the other halfa and anxiety over seeing the other halfa. 

The sound of the doorbell was pleasant, he thought, trying to distract his raging nerves.

His excellent hering caught the light scratching, along with an excited happy mewl behind the large entry doors. Maddie the cat must have sensed he was there.

Danny could not help but give a soft smile. That kitty was so sweet.

He remembered the first time he ran across that white furball. It had been when he was sneaking around the manor as Phantom in what seemed like ages ago. While he searched, movement had caught his eyes. Thinking it had been a ghost (though weirded out that his ghost sense did not go off) he chased after the retreating figure until he was able to corner it. 

Poor Maddie had been shaking in a corner, and it had made him feel so bad to have scared the poor angel. 

He made sure to go to one of the kitchen’s of the manor and grab some food, bringing it with him as a peace offering. He was going to save the poor soul who had to have gotten in the house by accident before Vlad had realized and possibly annihilated the poor creature. 

Thanks to his natural affinity to animals, he was able to get the beautiful cat’s trust enough to eat the food he brough. Then the cat sniffed his hand, the purred, rubbing against his leg happily. 

The collar on her neck had caught his attention. Inspecting it he had almost died of a heart attack. Needless to say he had been shocked stupid that not only did she belong to Vlad, but that her name was the same as his mothers…

From then on he had always made sure to bring some snacks for the little kitty everytime he had trespassed in the elders' domain. 

“Mmeawww…” *scratch, scratch* Danny smiled at Maddie’s continued insistence.

‘Well… maybe he isn’t home...’ He concluded with half disappointment and half relief. 

“Well… I did try.” He mumbled and was about to phase into the doors, not going to leave until he gave Maddie some much deserved attention and some of the treats he carried in his pocket, then he would leave. 

::::::::::::::::

Vlad had started off his morning a little later than usual, thanks to the multiple documents he read into the early morning. The halfa managed to get into bed around two or three and woke up at nine, which was sleeping in for him. Usually, he was awake by seven or eight at the latest. Nine was something he rarely did unless he was sick or had been working himself too hard. 

And considering all the extra time he had been investing in his already hectic work schedule, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he had been working himself too much the past week. Despite the fatigue it caused, it had paid off a bit in the end. At least there wouldn’t be any new documents to read until next Wednesday and as someone who hated tedious paperwork, he was more than happy to enjoy the days without it. 

While it hadn’t cured his problem of thinking about Daniel all the time, it admittedly took the edge of the strange sensations for a while. Without the amount of work that came with being a billionaire and a mayor, he would have thought about the younger halfa too much for comfort. 

Daniel already invaded his thoughts on a daily basis, but dealing with them more than he had been? That was a mistake ready to happen. Vlad already over-analyzed their meeting last Friday and if he thought about it more, there’s no telling what conclusions he would have drawn. Or questions he didn’t want to answer yet. 

Deciding to take things easy for the day, Vlad started off by taking a shower and keeping his hair down afterward, until it was time to cook lunch at least.

Daniel’s visit the other day had awoken the chef in him, and every night since, he had been cooking difficult dishes in order to tune his abilities. That night had been the first in a long time that he created a semi-difficult dish. Most of the time he kept his meals simple, but classy.

Now it was around noon and he was currently cooking Coq au vin, something he hadn’t made in years. Maybe he could get Daniel to try this dish? He had liked the other meal fairly well, and this was a similar dish, save for the-

“Butter biscuits!” Vlad mumbled, realizing the red wine was still in the cellar. Turning down the heat, he quickly went intangible and went to seek out the particular aged red wine. 

It had been a while since he had last ventured to the cellar, which was full to the brim with all sorts of expensive alcohol. He kept it full for his business associates, knowing they all had very different tastes. 

Personally, he didn’t care much for alcohol. He drank when needed, but he rarely did it for recreational time. 

Sometimes he wondered if his ghost half had some role. Human alcohol had no effect on him anymore, which he attributed to the fact that ghost physiology was quite different from humans. 

Eventually finding the needed bottle, Vlad flew back into the kitchen and added some of the wine into the sauce, stirring it around until he heard Maddie’s insistent mewling and pawing at the door. 

Odd. She wasn’t one to do such actions. She was a more laid-back cat who got onto your lap after a long day of work, or in her case, after eating a delicious meal. 

Vlad sighed and turned down the heat once more, not bothering to unroll his sleeves as he made his way to the entrance doors, a sensation of warmth making his core shudder that alerted him to the fact there was a ghostly presence nearby.

A very familiar one at that.

His core pulsed again, and he felt a pull towards the door, slowly opening it. 

What he saw made him give a small smile and made his already hot core blaze more, the urge to reach out and hold the other closer to him growing more powerful. It seemed that each time they spent away from each other; the more desire Vlad had to keep the younger closer. 

If this was a reaction to merely seeing the other after a week, he briefly wondered what it would be like once the halfa needed to leave. Would they circle around each other, or would there be a line drawn this time? 

“Daniel? I wasn’t aware you were going to visit today. Come in,” He felt at ease now, allowing the younger into his mansion. 

Right now, Vlad had a solid blue button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and a pair of casual pants. It wasn’t his normal suit, but on the days he was off, Vlad took full advantage of not having to wear a three-piece suit. 

::::::::::::::::::::

Before Danny had followed his plan of phasing through the entry doors, he felt the familiar chill within his core. A chill that climbed his throat, leaving his mouth in a soft blue mist. 

His core gave a fluttered pulse, instinctually recognizing which ghost presence that indicated.

Swallowing, Danny shifted side to side nervously. But when the door opened, he straightened up, putting on a brave face…

Which completely dropped (along with his jaw) as he saw the man in front of him. 

Danny had never, ever seen Vlad out of his three-piece business suit before (save when he was transformed as plasmius). 

The button-up shirt fit the older halfa nicely, the solid blue color accentuating the man’s deep sapphire eyes while the rolled up sleeves showed off powerful forearms. A part of his subconscious even wondered if those arms packed as strong a punch like his ghost half did…

What perhaps caught the teen’s eyes the most was the shining silver hair framing Vlad’s face. Free from the confines of the usual tie, it caught the sunlight with a beautiful sheen, and Danny’s fingers twitched, feeling the sudden urge to thread his fingers through those gorgeous strands. 

Fuuuck…. That man looked Good…

Vlad glanced at Daniel, holding back a smirk as he clearly caught the other off guard. He couldn’t remember a time when he last had his hair down in front of someone else. He usually took it out of its tie after work, but he truthfully forgot most times. The only time he let it down was when he wanted to relax. 

Vlad could admit to himself that there was something special about Daniel that could make him relax, a new level of trust he was beginning to feel. Smirking slightly, he can’t help but admire the teenager for a moment, those sky-blue eyes always taking his breath away. Then, there’s the height. While Vlad was still taller, Daniel was only a foot shorter than him now, and the teenager had obviously toned well over the past two years. Gone were the scrawny, awkward limbs that looked almost fragile back then. There was a clear level of muscle to them now, while still being on the lithe side. 

Danny winced as he realized he was staring, when he should have made a move to enter and respond to the elder’s comment. ‘Shit!’ 

Pushing down those strange feelings, he thought on his feet and smirked. “Well what do you know. The frootloop does own clothes that aren't black business suits.” He took the invitation to enter and continued, shrugging as nonchalantly as he could. “I figured we needed to set a training schedule. I was in the neighborhood patrolling, so I thought I would just stop by.” 

Danny stopped a few feet into the house and crouched down, his voice taking on a gentle, melodic tone while a soft smile graced his face. “Hey girl~” He addressed the white cat that circled his feet, eager for the teen’s attention. “You missed me?”

Vlad smiled. “I try not to wear three-piece suits on my days off. I already wear too many of those for my liking,” He joked, about to mention their training when he pauses, watching the way his guest interacts with his sweet cat. 

Danny used one hand to caress the white fur, pleased to hear a loud contented pur from the feline. “Guess what I brought?”

Maddie’s blue eyes widened and she rose on her two feet, trying to sniff at what the young halfa was pulling out of his pocket. 

“Here ya go girl.” He gave the kitty her offering, petting her once again before standing up once more.

‘He’s just as much of a sweetheart as she is’. Vlad thinks, watching the two with a fond expression. His soft gaze is mostly focused on Daniel, the warmth in his core spreading as he sees the loving nature of the teenager firsthand.

Vlad feels the need to run a hand through the black hair and tug him closer, maybe even-

He doesn’t dare finish the thought and quickly switches gears. “I’m in the middle of making lunch. Would you like any?”

Danny’s sky blue eyes sparkled at the mention of food cooked by Vlad. Truth be told, he had purposely skipped lunch on the off chance he could convince the older halfa to cook for him. But luck had been on his side and he did not need to ask.

Even though he was excited, he still played it cool, pretending to take a moment to think. “Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry”.

He followed the other halfa, his senses picking up that delicious scent that made his mouth water and his hunger increase. He couldn’t wait to try whatever Vlad was making!

“So… what’cha cooking?” He asked as he watched Vlad’s movements. He sat down on the same island counter chair that he sat on that Friday evening a little over a week ago.

Vlad watched as Daniel took his spot on the island counter, feeling a sense of completion, almost feeling whole again. 

“I’m cooking Coq au vin, which is a French Chicken dish.” Vlad takes his spot in front of the oven as he works on the next steps.

Honestly, Danny had no clue as to what was a Coc u din, Cook a ben, Koc o… thing… even was. But he kept that to himself, only nodding when the older halfa said it had chicken in it. 

Staring intently at the broad back in front of the stove, his eyes lingered on that beautiful silvery hair, biting his lip as the urge to touch it grew.

‘Dammit!’ Why did Vlad have to have the softest looking hair he had ever seen? His hair looked so sleek and perfect that even Paulina would be jealous!

‘I wonder what Vlad uses in the shower to keep it so nice…’

Suddenly an image of Vlad in the shower had his heart pounding a million miles an hour as an unbidden, unwelcome image of Vlad washing his hair under the showerhead. His broad tanned back shining as water flowed down his shoulders. His back, his-

‘What the FUCK!!’ Danny completely shut down that train of thought, threw it into the depths of the corner of his mind, locked it up, and threw away the key. 

That had not happened. 

Nope. 

Moving completely onward.

Vlad lightly smiled. Knowing Daniel is right there puts him at ease and the halfa feels himself blurting something out before he realizes it. 

“We both missed you.” The billionaire says, referring to when Daniel had asked Maddie if he had been missed. Vlad feels his face flush, but he uses the heat from the stove as an excuse, not looking at Daniel’s reaction as he cooks.

The billionaire’s voice had been a welcome distraction from what had not crossed his mind just now. And the teen listened intently.

And what he heard left him speechless.

Vlad had… missed him…

And even more shocking was that the man admitted it... 

Danny’s whole body flushed red, his heart warmed with a longing feeling, his stomach fluttering with butterflies.

‘He missed me…’ He contemplated again in his mind. Unable to help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

Only to drop when he thought too much about it. But why?

Why would Vlad miss him, of all people? Aside from being the only other halfa in the entire Earth and Ghost zone, there was nothing else they had in common. 

Vlad… Vlad was a powerful billionaire genius, whose wealth and attractiveness (Very much ignoring that thought) was unrivaled. The man had a strength of will and a presence that could control and command those around him. As Plasmius, he was feared throughout the ghost zone. All ghosts knew that he was quite powerful and stayed out of the elder halfa’s way. Hell, Danny had even heard rumors about Plasmius having a few territories within the ghost zone. Having one was considered a great feat due to high competition for the limited land existing within the zone. Not to mention the energy and time it took to mold that territory with your ghost power to your unique talents and strength. 

And he…

He was an awkward 18 year old, below average grades (which were higher than his grades in junior high, thanks to significant decrease in ghost attacks), and who, to his great shame, was not even able to get into the back-up colleges that supposedly anyone could get into.

His heart constricted painfully, looking down at the kitchen floor. 

Everytime a letter from one of the colleges or universities arrived, his parents would call him down from his room to open it, excitement in their faces as they waited to see what schools their son was accepted into, only to frown when opening the letters. 

All letters started just about the same way. ‘Dear Daniel James Fenton; Thank you for applying to _______ college/University. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you admission to our program at this time.’

All had been rejection letters.

His mother and father tried to maintain hope and encouragement, but even they had a hard time hiding their disappointment.

Everytime frickin time he had to watch their crestfallen faces after each rejection letter. Their mounting disappointment evident, even though they tried to hide it. 

He lied. To his parents. To his sister. And even his best friends. He told them that he did not care if he had been accepted to a college or not this year. Even going so far as to say that college might even be a burden to his ghost hunting and laughing it off. 

But deep inside, he really, really wanted to go to college.

Ever since he had started to learn about the structure and function of electronics and mechanics to save his skin from his parent’s ghost weapons, he realized that he loved it.

Having given up on his dream of becoming an astronaut, he found that engineering had brought out a passion he did not even know he had. It also had an added bonus in spending more time with his mother and learning so much from the intelligent woman. He enjoyed it soo much, he sometimes would just build something unrelated to ghost weaponry on the side, just as a fun thing to do. 

But thanks to getting terribly behind in his education due to ghost attacks, his grades never really recovered, even when the ghost attacks barely happened anymore. 

Hard to recover from not grasping the basics. Even harder when all the teachers looked at you like a failure and saw it as a waste of time to even try to help. 

Not that he could blame any of them. Cutting classes, not showing up to classes, sleeping during class, and turning in assignments late (if at all), were viewed as very problematic behavior.

It was hard to change first impressions, even when someone has proved they had changed time and time again. 

Danny raised his eyes from the floor to gaze up at the man in front of the stove. Had he fallen into the same trap? Did he have too much of a tie to his first impressions of the older halfa that it was difficult to see, much less accept, that Vlad had indeed changed?

Maybe he had to try harder to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

Hell, most likely Vlad had just said that he was missed out of courtesy and well-trained manners. Surely the man said this to all his guests and the words meaning absolutely nothing at all. And now they weren’t enemies, it made sense that he would receive similar courtesies. 

If it was true that Vlad was no longer pursuing evil deeds, did Danny really have anything unique to offer the elder to keep the man interested in him?

… No.

Danny had not made a comment to what Vlad had said, his chest constricting too painfully at the thought that this admission truly held no meaning, having not truly realized just how much he really craved Vlad's attention until now.

His gaze lowered to the floor and sadness seeped in, deflating his mood significantly.

Maddie, bless her soul, mewled with slight concern. She jumped onto his lap and stood on hind legs, paws against his chest while nuzzling her nose and cheeks against his face insistently in order to try and cheer him up.

Danny swallowed the lump in his throat. “Maddie…” And he couldn’t help but feel a little better by the loving white cat who indeed wanted him around and somehow made him feel that all will work out in the end.

He smiled, rubbing back into the loving cat, nuzzling into the soft white fur.

:::::::::::::::::::

Vlad hadn’t been expecting a response to his admission, because how could anyone give a response to that anyway? He was more than a little embarrassed at himself for admitting such a thing to the teenager, but whenever it came to Daniel, it seemed that his filter disappeared for the most part. Forcing himself to not look over and gauge the younger's reaction, he started to move into the next step of the cooking process. 

Cutting up the mushrooms into even pieces, he placed them in a medium sauté pan that was being greased by some butter. He added a few spices onto the vegetables, stirring it around slowly that way it absorbed all the flavors. 

Cooking for himself was the norm, but the fact that Daniel was here made the billionaire feel the need to make sure it was as tasty as it could be. Maybe it was the fact that he wanted to show off, but he could hardly care. Daniel deserved to try some amazing food. 

The younger halfa enjoyed his food last time (which made his core thud happily at the reminder) and there was the sudden urge to cook anything the younger man wanted. He wasn’t sure where the need to do such a thing came from, but he didn’t question it. Instead, Vlad went along with the sudden desire and focused on cooking a delicious meal.

This one was very similar to the previous one he cooked over a week ago, save for the fact that it was more of a stew and had more chicken instead of beef. This recipe called for the same amount of other vegetables though, such as the onions and carrots. There was about the same amount of garlic required for this dish as well, which all came in handy.

A part of him wished that Daniel was helping him cut the vegetables again, and maybe even cutting them incorrectly. Vlad wouldn’t mind getting behind the young halfa again and guiding him with the correct motions, maybe even pressing into the back and letting his hand-

Flushing darkly, Vlad shifts and continues cutting, not wanting to continue that dangerous train of thought.

That didn’t mean the urge to be close to Daniel went away as easy though. After adding the other vegetables, save for the mushrooms, into the pot, Vlad chanced a glance at his guest and frowned at the sadness that was on full display in those beautiful eyes. He couldn’t force himself to look away from the open emotion Daniel was displaying and the urge to find out what was wrong started to boil over. 

Before he could make his move, his ever-knowing cat was getting on top of Daniel’s lap and pressing against him, obviously sensing the turmoil. She had mewled softly and started to nuzzle her face against the younger halfa’s chin and Vlad stopped what he was doing to watch, feeling his core warm at the sight of Daniel pressing back against the soft white fur. 

While it made his core flare with adoration and gentleness that surprised him, it left him more concerned at the tears he saw forming in the corner of the sky-blue eyes. 

How would Daniel react to getting asked if everything was alright? Would he get upset? Would the embarrassment at being caught almost crying make the halfa come up with an excuse to leave?

Or was he worried about being seen as pathetic in front of him? 

That thought made him internally scowl, wanting to strangle the person he used to be. 

The one that had obviously hurt Daniel in the past, but, against all odds, the same teenager was spending time with him now. That had to account for something. Things might still be rocky between them, but their relationship was certainly better than it ever had been in the past. 

Maybe Daniel needed to be let known that this was a safe space? Perhaps the teenager needed to know that if he needed to get something off of his chest, then the billionaire was always ready to listen? It was worth a shot, wasn’t it? It had to be…

As long as Daniel isn’t sad anymore, it is.

Before making his decision, Vlad added the rest of the vegetables and meat into the Dutch oven and slid it into the oven for even cooking. He closed the oven quietly and went to clean the mess left on the stovetop, adding the dirty pots into the sink to wash later. 

With Daniel still petting Maddie, he walked to the younger halfa and slowly laid a hand on the soft hair that he had been dying to touch again, his fingers tingling as soon as he touched the soft hair. Carding his fingers through it slowly, his other hand took a spot on the broad shoulder. 

Whatever was making his little badger upset needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. 

“Daniel, what’s wrong?” He asked in a gentle voice, still stroking the black hair as he confronted the other. 

The urge to protect and help the younger was eating him up, his long fingers rubbing away a stray tear. 

Danny flinched slightly when he felt the gentle hand carding through his hair and the other on his shoulder, cursing himself for having been caught in such a state. 

He bit his lower lip, unable to raise his gaze into the elders eyes as the man asked him what was wrong. Had he been that obvious that something was bothering him? 

What was wrong with him? First having a panic attack (and passing out of all things) in front of his ex-nemesis and now probably looking depressed and shedding a tear the very next time?

What the hell next?

Maybe he was having difficulty managing the way his life was going. Everything seemed to change, leaving him behind. Jazz had moved out of the house to go to college about two years ago, Phantom almost had no ghosts that needed fighting in Amity anymore, his friends were going to college, he was stuck with rejection letters and could not go to college next year,…

...and, oddly the worst of all, was that Vlad was in all likelihood leaving Amity soon. 

And there was really nothing he could do about it. 

God, he felt like a loser.

Vlad continued. “You can tell me anything.” He promised, voice softer than before as his worried eyes looked down at sky-blue ones.

Vlad might have been invading Daniel’s personal space, but he wanted to let the younger know how much he cared.

Danny startled at what he just heard, looking Vlad straight into those Sapphire eyes. Those words had been spoken with a gentleness he had never heard from the man. A sincerity that made Danny feel like Vlad genuinely wanted to know what was wrong. That made his heart flutter strangely and a warmth flow though his chest.

And the way soft hands continued to caress the top of his head in a gentle writhm. The way the other hand held his shoulder steadily, yet gently. It made him feel grounded. 

That look in those dark blue eyes that gazed at him with full attention and understanding.

It all made him feel safe. Like he could actually say anything. A complete trust that should not even be possible with this man who had not so long ago been his enemy. 

Vlad waited patiently on a response, having no intention of forcing him for a quick answer, that was something he would have done years ago, but not now. Whatever was going on must have been a delicate situation, one that not many knew about. It had to be a sensitive topic, one that a former nemesis asking about might be deemed as bizarre. Perhaps that was something throwing the other off as well. Until these last two weeks, what indication had he given Daniel that he cared about the younger halfa? Yes, he had saved him a few times, but it was nothing compared to what he was actively doing now. 

A lot had changed and while Vlad was used to such a concept, he wouldn’t be surprised if a change was something Daniel still struggled with. Change for a teenager could be terrifying and it led to things unknown. When you’re young, you’re used to things being a certain way. A shift in the flow makes things harder to deal with once you realize things wouldn’t be the same anymore. Routines and traditions shifted, and you were left grasping at anything for a chance of normalcy, something to keep you grounded.

Vlad had been subject to all those disturbing shifts in his years and it led him into the man he was today. Without the changes in his life, there was no telling where he would be now, or who he would be. 

Danny opened his mouth, about to say something until slight fear shone in his light blue eyes and his mouth closed once more. 

He had almost spoken from his heart and said: ‘I can’t make you stay with me.’

Tearing his gaze from those captivating eyes, Danny looked to the floor for a few seconds. Deciding that, maybe he could be somewhat truthful with the elder halfa. 

“I was not accepted to any of the colleges I applied for…” He said sadly. 

Then, suddenly very much regretting telling Vlad such a vulnerable thing (realizing he did not want the older halfa to see him as stupid and a loser) he did his best to blow it off. 

He put up the best smile he could muster, forcing himself to look back at the billionaire with a grin. “N-not that I was really trying to go to college this year anyway! Too much to do before that.” He declared. “Besides, this is nothing that really matters anyway. Just unimportant teen issues.” He ignored the sinking feeling at the thought that the elder probably actually would not care. After all, his problems were very minor compared to soo many other people. Friends moving off to college? At least he had friends. Not being able to go to college this year? He had the privilege to try again next year. Disappointing his parents? At least he had parents and that cared and loved him. So on, so forth.

His stomach churned as he was prayed to whatever deity would help him that Vlad bought his lie and just moved on.

::::::::::::::::: 

As Vlad waits on an answer, whether it be a lie or a truth, he notices something that makes him worry. 

Daniel had opened his mouth as if to say something, but there had been a flash of terror in those eyes and the younger halfa closed his mouth. 

Instead, he gets an answer about being rejected by numerous colleges. The sadness that comes with that is real, and Vlad sees it, he can practically taste it. 

However, Daniel is quick to try and brush off his sadness as if it’s nothing and that the rejection was something he wanted. He knows the younger halfa better than that and he gives a small smile, still carefully stroking the dark hair.

“Your issues matter to me, Daniel.” Vlad allows himself to say, wanting to get the other one to see that while it might seem insignificant to himself, it was far from being unimportant.

Those words made Danny’s heart throb with happiness and warm feelings spread throughout his body. And he desperately wanted to grasp that feeling. That treasure that seemed to be offered from the man in front of him. 

But it was hard for the teen to truly believe those words coming from the older halfa. Especially since his issues were so petty. 

But again, there was something in the way Vlad spoke. The way the other gently touched his hair and shoulder. 

Conflicting emotions plagued the young halfa, as he did not know how to deal with the clash of both tearing sadness and uplifting joy at the same time. Which one to truly believe or lean into. 

Vlad continued. “I take it your ghost fighting must have gotten in the way of your studies.” It was more of a statement than a question, both of them knowing the late nights that were often put into fighting ghosts. “I know it might not seem like a lot, but the fact you’re able to graduate from high school is astounding. I don’t know of anyone else that would have been able to do what you could.” 

And it was true. From his days as a villain, he remembered the young Valerie Gray. She hadn’t been able to keep up with ghost fighting AND keeping her grades up, so she had been forced to give up chasing ghosts. 

Daniel had done both in all of his years in high school, never giving up on either. It was something to be proud of. He hoped his words and eyes carried that, his long fingers carefully running along his scalp. 

Danny’s head snapped up, looking up at Vlad as if he was seeing the older halfa for the first time, light blue eyes searching desperately in those dark sapphire pools. He could hear it in the billionaire's words and voice. Something that he had not heard in years.

Pride. Vlad was actually proud of what he had achieved.

Ever since he had started fighting ghosts at 14, others seemed to stop being proud of what little he could achieve. Never being enough.

When his grades began to drop, his mom always told him he could do better and just needed to work harder. His dad would tell him ‘maybe next time you will do it!’. His perfect sister would try to force her help before she learned he was Phantom, then after she knew she would scold him saying that he should focus more on his studies. His friends were supportive at one time, but they too began to get frustrated and make remarks that he should just ‘ignore’ the ghosts sometimes and just study. As if people’s lives weren’t on the line!

His teachers, none of them even acknowledged his slight improvements in his grades and assignments, instead making sure to point out all the times he was late or didn’t do well.

None of that ever encouraged the poor young halfa to try harder. But even still, he did. He gave all he could do even if it frustrated him. Even if others didn’t see it. Staying up even later in order to try and finish his assignments (even if they had been a piece of trash sometimes) in order to at the very least, turn them in. 

And here he was. The only other person in this green earth and ghost zone to actually feel proud of him was his ex-nemesis.

It made him want to cry. 

Vlad continued to watch the young halfa, still petting the soft black hair. There was still the answer that Daniel had not disclosed to him and if it was something that was making the other sad, he wanted to fix it. 

Hell, he needed to fix it. 

“What else is bothering you? I get the feeling something else is wrong.” Vlad inquired, pressing closer as he left his other move away from Daniel’s shoulder, lingering for a moment. “I care about you, Daniel. I wasn’t kidding when I said you could tell me anything.” He mumbled in a delicate voice, gazing down at him with concern. On instinct, his thumb slowly caressed the softness of Daniel’s cheek, not realizing what he was doing. 

‘Please, tell me what’s wrong.’

Danny’s throat constricted tightly and tears threatened to fall from his eyes as he felt the feather like touch of Vlad’s thumb on his cheeks and Danny lost all defenses and control.

He half tackled the halfa in a sudden, desperate hug, holding on tight as if the older halfa was the only thing keeping him alive. 

Tears fell and the teen couldn’t hold back the pained sobs as everything that he had been bottling up; all of the pain, sorrow, loneliness, disappointment, fears, and anger, came crashing down.

:::::::::::::::::::

While Vlad hadn’t been aware of the way he was stroking Daniel’s cheek with his thumb at first, he eventually noticed but didn’t bother pulling away, needing to hold the other more. Seeing those eyes full of pain takes his breath away, the sadness that shines through makes Vlad’s chest constrict painfully. His core burns in worry as his thumb rub away another stray tear. 

Or at least, it had been a stray tear. That quickly changed as more tears replaced the single one, like a dam breaking as the emotions finally came out. The pain returns tenfold into those sky-blue eyes and Vlad barely has time to react before being tackled into a desperate embrace. 

Vlad is almost thrown back in surprise, but he keeps his feet on the ground as his arms immediately wrap around the shaking teen, his heart breaking into small pieces at the sound of the heart-wrenching sobs that shake him to the core. The sounds of the crying and pained sobs make Vlad pull the younger closer, letting Daniel rest his head on his chest, letting a hand slowly stroke the soft hair in an effort to offer all the comfort he could, as well as calm him as well as he could. 

Truthfully, Vlad didn’t have to deal with crying teenagers…well, ever really. So he wasn’t sure what to say at first, figuring he should let the younger halfa get it out. 

From the sounds of it, this crying reminded him of the type that was repressed until it couldn’t be held anymore. The thought that Daniel was bottling up his fears and sadness made Vlad ache for the other halfa, his heart go out to him. 

His other hand made its way to Daniel’s back, slowly rubbing up and down as another wave of sobs escaped the beautiful teenager in his arms. This was the last thing he expected from Daniel, and while it broke his heart, he was more than happy to hold him like this.

As Danny cried, his nose picked up the spicy scent of the elder halfa and it calmed him like a balm to his soul. He wanted to drown in it. 

Unconsciously through the pain, the younger halfa snuggled deeper into Vlad’s embrace, rubbing his face against that warm wide chest. The rhythmic beating of the elder’s heart helped to calm the raging storm that had broken free as strong arms circled him protectively.

How long had it been since he’d been held like this?

It was always him who held others when they were feeling bad. Always him who stood protecting others and standing strong against any threat. Always him who placed others worry above his own.

But for the first time in years, he felt he could let it all out. To let himself be the one who was held. To be vulnerable for a change and let out his demons, fears, and sadness.

“Oh, Daniel…” Vlad sighed, pulling him closer to his warmth, feeling the urge to keep him there. “I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m here for you.” He says, core blazing as he leans down to whisper. “I’ll always be here for you.” Vlad mumbles close to Daniel’s ear as he promises his declaration. 

He feels the need to let Daniel know how much he is appreciated and how proud of him he is. Vlad merely pulls him closer and closes his own eyes, feeling his core give a pulse at having Daniel against his chest. 

Danny shivered as he heard the whispered promise, electricity coursing through his body and feeling the deep need to be closer. His core sending a responding cooled pulse back.

The teen tightened his hold on Vlad posessively, hands fisting the blue button up shirt of the man’s back as he found the strength to say the words passed his breakdown.

“Then don’t leave me…”

The words were said with the force of a command, tied with desperation as his body shook from the emotion and stress ripping through him. 

Then don’t leave me. The desperate plea took Vlad’s breath away and left his body like a volcano, ready to erupt and consume him if he had any less self-control. Vlad kept his eyes shut in an effort to hide his boiling emotions, holding the sobbing teen closer as the billionaire forced himself to get a grip on reality. The words had made his core flare to life, the fire in his chest wanting nothing more than to wrap around Daniel and make him his. His what…that was still something Vlad was figuring out, but the older halfa was starting to get a hunch on what type of emotion it was. 

Or rather, what type of feeling he was experiencing regarding the halfa in his arms. It was the same halfa that understood him on some fundamental level, and vice versa. It was the same halfa that completed him and made his core yearn for their closeness. 

It was a yearning that almost terrified him, because, on some level, it had always been there. Even when he was obsessed with making Maddie Fenton hers (which he could now admit was more of him projecting his wants for a family onto the woman) his desire to have Daniel on his side was stronger. It could be said that the moment he found out Daniel was a halfa, the shift in his obsession had begun. 

The only thing that didn’t make sense to him was the fact that the things he was feeling for Daniel couldn’t be described as solely as an obsession. It felt stronger than that. It felt like something…more

While he forced his possessive nature down, something started to click in his mind that until now, he had overlooked. Vlad glanced down at the trembling teenager, starting to understand something that he had missed in their last meeting.

Daniel was afraid of being left behind, by him of all people. He recalled the other week where his mention of moving away had caused the younger to go into a panic attack. Despite trying to push down his possessive nature, it rears its head back in and Vlad has to bite his lips in order to not say anything too reckless or too foolish. 

Instead, he makes sure to calm the younger more and offer his companionship, hoping his understanding nature is helping out. Vlad truly isn’t used to dealing with individuals crying, but when it came to Daniel, that fact is thrown away and he does anything he can to help. 

Danny’s sobbing slowed to slight hiccuping as the teen gazed to the floor absentmindedly, still grasping Vlad’s shirt like he did not want to let go. Listening to the man’s strong heartbeat, finding the rhythm quite soothing.

Once his breathing was under control, Danny felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted from his shoulders, a weight he hadn’t even known he had been carrying. Feeling far much lighter than he had in years. 

It was odd to the teen. None of his problems had been fixed, and yet, he felt soo much better.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Vlad questioned after a few minutes once Daniel’s crying had calmed down, his thumb rubbing away the tear streaks as carefully as he can, hoping his…

His what?

What was Daniel to him?

Not thinking about the question, he simply held him and waited for a response.

Danny separated a little from the elder to look him in the eyes, only being able to look at the other’s eyes for a slight second before embarrassment overcame the youth and he looked down once more.

He must look like a total dork, all snotty with tear streaks down his cheeks. His face was probably red from all of the crying too. He did not even want to think of how his hair looked right now...

His heart gave a flutter as Vlad’s thumb gently wiped his cheek. 

He shook his head in the negative at the other’s question. What just happened had taken all he had and he felt like a wreck. There was definitely no way he was ready to delve any deeper today.

His face blushed deeper as it suddenly dawned on his subconscious just in what position they were in. How he had suddenly hugged the billionaire out of the blue and started crying.

His core and heart lurched in protest as he forced himself to leave the other’s embrace, taking a couple of steps back to put a little bit of personal space between the two as he wiped his face with his arm. Looking back at Vlad with a sheepish smile, his voice low. “... looks like you need a new shirt…” Motioning the snotted wet section on the man’s chest where the teen had been crying. His gaze lowered to the floor again. “... sorry…”

Core constricting as Daniel pulls away, it takes all of Vlad’s willpower to not tug the other back against his chest, even if that’s all he wants to do. He glances at his ruined shirt with a shrug, not caring about the fact it would need to be dry cleaned. 

“It's only a shirt,” He smirks, moving to unbutton it considering he was wearing an undershirt beneath it, one that showed off the muscles in his arms and his chest. “There’s no need to apologize, Daniel. I’m…I’m glad you were able to get that off your chest. It must have been bothering you for a while.” Vlad states softly, using his ghost powers to send the shirt into the other room and bring forth another from his closet. It was another button-down shirt and he casually slipped it on.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Motion had caught the teens eye and he lifted his gaze, only to stare in shock as the older halfa started to unbutton his shirt right in front of him! 

His heart thrummed wildly and his skin blushed deep red, light blue eyes wide as he watched the man’s graceful movements as slender fingers unclasp a button from the slit. Then another, and another… Going downward…

Danny couldn’t tear his eyes off of the sight.

As the blue shirt parted, it revealed a thin white under shirt.

So thin, you could make out the contours of the man’s chest, and well-defined muscles underneath, shifting with each movement the halfa made.

He watched entranced as the open shirt slid off of wide shoulders gracefully, taking in all of the details as his breathing sped up and heat coursed through his veins. Watching how the material caressed strong forearms as it slid downward. 

Magenta light surrounded the shirt, making it disappear as he watched Vlad use teleportation on the article of clothing, the light making the teen snap out of his stupor, face going more redder than before as he tried to calm his raging heartbeat. 

What the hell had he just been doing??

There was no excuse for him to stare at Vlad like that! There was nothing weird about a male changing a shirt in front of another male. Nothing strange at all!

Then why did it feel odd…

After a moment, Vlad decided to say something. He opens his mouth, only for the oven timer to go off. He closes it with a sigh. 

“Go have a seat at the table. I’ll be there shortly.” Vlad promises, moving around the kitchen to grab some bowls. 

Maybe this would give him the opportunity to say what he needs to during lunch. 

He needs Daniel to understand that he’s not going anywhere. 

Especially when the one person keeping him here wants him to stay.

Danny was aghast at his reaction, and was soo very grateful to the oven for going off before the older halfa could notice his insane reaction.

Danny nodded and walked out of the kitchen, not making his way toward the table in the dining room, but towards the nearest bathroom. 

Succeeding in his search, he entered and closed the door behind him, glancing at his reflection in the mirror. 

Sky blue eyes red from crying stared back at him. His eyes a bit swollen, his face slightly red and streaked with shed tears, his unruly black hair looking like someone shocked the life out of him and intense wind squished it all to one side.

Yep. He looked like an utter wreck.

And Vlad of all people, had seen him like this…

He glared at his reflection. “Way to go, Fenton. If he didn’t think you were a loser already, he is sure to think that now…” Feeling every bit the loser he always feared he was, his heart constricting painfully.

Nothing he could do could erase the embarrassing scene that had played out. He very much doubted the master of time would grant him permission to redo today just because he acted like an idiot in front of his ex-nemesis. 

With a deep sigh, he turned the faucet handle and splashed some water on his face. At the very least, he could try to look presentable once more.

His attention suddenly went to the white T-shirt he was currently wearing and his mind could not help but travel back to the billionaire’s blue button-up shirt as his heart did a flip and his pulse sped up. 

In all of the time he had known the older halfa, this had been the first time he had seen the man without his 3 piece suit. 

Not only that, but seeing Vlad with only his undershirt… how toned the man really was underneath. How the older halfa had to work out in order to have that good a body… ‘I wonder what his chest would look like without a shirt on…’

Danny violently shook his head, tearing his thoughts away from whatever that was. 

God… He soo wanted to redo the day…

Maybe he should just change into Phantom and just fly off and hide under a rock? Maybe the older halfa would even prefer it, rather than dealing with a crazy teenager who recently seemed unable to keep his shit together.

No. He would not run away.

There was something about Vlad that just made it impossible to back away. Every Single time he ever considered giving up or backing down whenever it concerned the billionaire, a sharp determination always pierced his doubt and steeled his will to stand his ground. 

He washed his face again. Twice for good measure. ‘Ok! Time to pull it together. No more acting weird. Well… weirder than usual at least…’

Gathering some water, he used it to try to somewhat tame his messy black hair.

Done with that, he gave one last inspection in his reflection, his face was clean, his eyes were still a little swollen and still a bit red, and his hair looked a little bit different from usual, but decent enough. 

‘It will have to do.’ He thought as he made his way back to the dining room table and waited for Vlad to bring the meal.

It didn’t take Vlad long to fill their bowls with the Coq Au Vin, slowly drizzling the extra sauce on the food. Looking over the bowls, he carried them back to the dining room table and placed them, hoping Daniel likes the meal. 

Danny couldn’t help but smile when Vlad placed the food on the table in front of him. The aroma was soo pleasant and the dish looked exquisite! It took all of the teen’s will not to immediately dig in, instead waiting for the elder to sit at the table first.

Vlad immediately took notice of the lack of tear streaks and the lack of a flushed face when he entered the room. Daniel’s eyes were still red, and his swollen, kissable lips-

Nope. Nope. Nope.

The Billionaire was not dealing with that right now. He quickly tossed the thought away, deciding to look at the slightly flat hair this time. Truthfully, he missed the disheveled look from earlier, but there was no denying that this look also suited him. Not wanting to seem stranger than usual for staring at the teenager for longer than necessary, he takes his seat. 

“I hope you like it. It’s similar to beef bourguignon.” He smiled a bit, looking over Daniel’s appearance in appreciation before looking away, a slight blush on his cheeks.

Danny decided to tease the elder before he tried the delicious smelling food. “Well see if I do. After all, you did not have my expert help this time. You might have messed up the vegetables” He said with a mischievous smirk.

Trying not to look too eager, Danny tried a bite, unable to help the pleased hum from the explosion of flavor on his tongue. 

Now he really knew what people meant by ‘a party in your mouth’.

Somehow this dish tasted even better than the beef bourguignon from last week! Was Vlad used to this dish more or had he somehow gotten better in the week since he was last here?

“You think so? I did miss having your expert hand in the kitchen.” Vlad teases, knowing that his words were true, but not that he would have told Daniel that. He certainly wouldn’t have minded if the younger halfa had helped in the kitchen. Any excuse to be closer, really. 

Again, he was not allowing himself to go down that road more tonight. While Vlad was starting to understand why Daniel’s closeness was impacting him so much, there was no way in Hell he wanted to think about it while said halfa was in the room. It would only serve to distract him too much, especially whenever he looked at those lips…

Like right now. The way Daniel’s pink tongue slowly ran across the pink skin, catching the taste of the meal he was enjoying. Vlad averted his eyes and forced himself to eat his own food, thankful that the delicious taste was a distraction from the delicious looking-

For fucks sake, he really needed to stop. Shoving all the thoughts away for a final time, he enjoys his meal.

Danny could not help but complement Vlad on the delicious dish. “Ok. I gotta hand it to you. You really do know how to cook.” He admitted. “Have you ever considered becoming a chef? You could become rich that way.” He joked.

Vlad’s core thudding happily when Daniel admits to enjoying the food. He internally preened again, knowing it would likely stroke his already inflated ego. 

“I don’t know if I could be a chef. I’m already rich.” Vlad says with a small smirk, joking with the other. “I am happy to know you like it. If you think my cooking is good, wait until you try my baking.” Vlad smirked again, showing off only a little.

He had started off with baking and it came to him more naturally than cooking did, thanks to Jack and Maddie of course. He would have never discovered his skills had it not been for his two close friends in college. 

Danny gave a genuine smile, definitely all for tasting the man's baking sometime in the future. "Well then, maybe I will just have to try some of those... what was it?" Danny playfully shifted into a thinking pose. "Oh, yes! Some of those fudgebuckets you rave so much about." Danny finished, poking fun at one of the elder's seemingly favorite 'curse' word.

Vlad gave a snort at his common phrase and smirked a bit. "Those fudgebuckets are actually quite good when you add dark chocolate into the recipe." He teased in return, all too happy to bake for the younger halfa at some point in the future, seeing as it had been too long since he last baked for anyone.

He continued to eat more from his plate, both settling in a comfortable silence, but his mind was still too focused on Daniel for his liking. He couldn’t stop thinking of the other, even when he tried his hardest. 

Perhaps he needed to inform the other that he wasn’t leaving? It was something that was clearly weighing on the other halfa’s mind, but it felt like a cheap shot to tell him over lunch. Maybe he needed to wait until they were done?

“Mewl?” Maddie was rubbing at Vlad’s legs with a purr, looking up at him with her pleading eyes before turning back to where the other halfa was sitting. She gave him a look and tilted her white head, mewling again. 

Yikes, he would have managed to pick a genius cat, wouldn’t he?

Sighing, Vlad looked to Daniel and found himself smiling softly, unable to help it. “Uh, Daniel,” He cleared his throat, deciding to go ahead and broach the topic. 

“I’ve decided to not move back to Wisconsin.” Vlad says, continuing despite the sudden dryness in his mouth and the anxious nerves he feels saying the next part. “I can’t leave the only person keeping me here,” He admits, looking into the teenager's sky blue eyes. 

Well, he said it.

Danny stills, fork halfway in the air. Completely frozen in place, as he stared into that sapphire gaze that held his captive, his core giving a pleasurable jolt even in his human form, as time around them seemed to stop.

It was… It was as if…

No.

He forced himself to break that eye contact and raised the fork to his lips and took a bite, using ‘chewing time’ to buy time before making a response. 

How much of an idiot could he be? He almost believed that… that Vlad had, for some unknown reason of this universe, meant him when he said there was only one person keeping him here. 

Fury and resentment cut deep within his soul and he froze at his intense reaction. Why the hell would he be pissed at his mother? She had rejected any advance the pompous jerk dealt out, even going so far as to avoid even crossing his path.

It was the stupid fruitloop he should be angry at!

And yet, this rage was different from simple anger at trying to ‘steal his mother and kill his father’ anger from before. There was something more deeper.

More darker. 

But anger was something the teen was used to. It was the familiar comfort of something that, even though wrong, was ever present and protective.

Even as his heart was tearing apart and his world collapsing in epic fire.

The comfortable companionship was suddenly gone, animosity pouring off of the young halfa in waves. The room became cold, figuratively and literally. “Well, maybe you should go then.” He said almost venomously, holding back from flashing his neon eyes at the older halfa.

  
  
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
A/N: Getting a little bit long, so I leave ya'll with a cliffhanger! Sorry!  
  
We hope you like! :)


	4. Love and Hate

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

  
Vlad wasn’t sure what reaction he had been expecting from the younger halfa, but it certainly hadn’t been the coldness that stabbed at his heart like a knife, leaving it raw and broken. The fire inside his core shivered at the unnatural bitterness, something in the dark atmosphere not feeling right. He wasn’t sure when the shift occurred, but it was beginning to unnerve him as time passed. 

Why was the room so cold? Why was his core short-circuiting, yet pulsing in distress at the same time? It was like he knew there was something wrong-

The words spoken afterwards made his core freeze, his heart dropping to the bottom of his stomach at the malice. He swallows hard as it feels like all of the air has been forced out of him, leaving him a broken and withered man. 

Vlad has to hold it together, but the words hurt deeper than any injury ever would. He doesn’t understand the shift in mood. Does Daniel not want him to stay? 

The teenager isn’t making any sense to him! 

One moment he’s crying into his chest and begging him not to leave, and now, he’s telling him to go? Why was that? 

All he said is that he had a reason for staying in Amity Park, that Daniel was the only person keeping him here. Unless the younger halfa assumed he was talking about someone else-

Oh. 

It sounded as if Daniel was, dare he say, jealous? 

That thought makes his core roar back to life and Vlad gazes at Daniel with a heated gaze, the room starting to warm up. 

“If you want me to leave, then I will. Seeing as you are the only person keeping me here, I’ll go if you want me to leave, and if not,” Vlad trails off, still looking deep into Daniel’s eyes. “I’ll stay as long as you want me.”

Somehow Vlad had moved closer to Daniel, standing right beside his as he made his confession, his words soft, yet full of heat that was eating Vlad alive. 

Danny stilled, eyes wide in shock. It had been as if ice cold water had been suddenly dropped on him. Mind going completely blank as the piercing cold that came from his anger vanished. One sentence, almost like a lifeline, whispering in his head ‘You are the only person keeping me here’

It was him. Not his mother that the elder halfa wanted company from.

It was as if his heart began beating again, his core thrumming with a cold essence that beaconed the fiery core so near and yet, not near enough.

Vlad continued to gaze at the teen. “Do you want me to stay, Daniel?” Unknown to him, he had transformed into his ghost form, his core still blazing to be closer to the younger ghost, combatting the freezing temperature with his own fire. His blue hand touched the soft hair, carding through the soft hair in an effort to get closer. 

I’m giving this teenager my entire heart…I hope he can understand one day.

Wide blue eyes stared transfixed at the vampire ghost that had stood before him, words failing him at the elder’s admission. Helpless to his core’s will for proximity when he felt that hot hand gently touch his hair. His body was enveloped by cold as he transformed into Phantom and hugged the elder halfa closely as if he would lose his counterpart if he let go.

Fire met ice and he had never felt so alive.

There was an instinctual rhythm. A dance of neon and magenta power that coursed between the two. A meeting of two halves who fit perfectly, not having realized just how broken they had been without the other. 

It felt as if their two cores were pulsing complementary to each other. Speaking to each other in perfect harmony. 

While he had been hoping that Danny was jealous, there was no way he knew for sure if that had been the case. However, when the coldness starts to dissipate from the room at his admission, Vlad feels his heartbeat quicken. 

Daniel had been jealous… The younger halfa thought that there was someone else keeping the billionaire here, and not him. Oh, how wrong the teenager had been. There was no one else in the world, let alone Amity Park, that could compare to the ghost leaning into his touch. 

Vlad’s breath hitched when Daniel hugged him close, the chill in the other’s core feeling perfect against the fire roaring on his chest. He closed his eyes, relishing the contact as he gradually pressed closer to the teenager, their proximity making his core purr. 

Feeling Daniel transform into Phantom in his arms sent a jolt of electricity through his core, the sensation making him shiver for a moment before he unintentionally presses closer. The hand in the snow-white hair continues to card through the soft locks, but his other hand slides to the back of Phantom’s neck, his fingertips carefully trailing an invisible pattern against the skin. 

There is a peaceful glow surrounding them, the glowing of their cores twirling around each other, binding to the point of no escape. Not like Vlad would want to pull away, at any rate. He’s never felt this peaceful in all his life. 

It’s almost like this was meant to happen, like they were made for each other. 

That thought alone makes his core pleasantly burn. 

Danny held the other tightly, never wanting to let go. Words spilling from his lips on impulse in an admission that came straight from the heart. “I need you to stay…” He whispered against the broad chest of the elder.

His body shivered in anticipation, his whole body waiting for something to happen. Needing that something to happen. 

But what? 

Daniel’s whispered declaration leaves him needing more.

“I will never leave you, Daniel.” He promises, smiling at the mop of hair against his chest.

Danny pressed closer. Those whispered words slid like silk into his being and wrapped around his core with gentle warmth. 

He felt as though those words gave him a lifeline he didn't even know he needed. As if he had been drowning all this time and he hadn’t realized he was gasping for air. 

His core filled with the warmth exuded from the other halfa and he wanted more. 

A need to touch the other soo deep, it beaconed so fiercely like a siren. Relentless. Undeniable. 

Could Vlad feel it too?

The way the elder was pressed against him. The way the man whispered those words.

He had to feel the same way, right? 

Vlad could have stayed like this for the rest of eternity and he would be at ease, the presence of the younger halfa was a piece that slotted in perfectly with his core. Daniel felt like a missing piece that brought him purpose and need-something that would have terrified him if it weren’t for the fact he had dealt with this emotion before. Even then, the feelings he had for Maddie never reached this level of desperation, his obsession had never felt all-consuming or…as gentle. Whatever fantasy he had deluded himself with had never left him feeling as free as it did now. This emotion was one that left him breathless and craving more-he yearned for the gentle touches and softly proclaimed words that promised their heart and cores. 

He couldn’t be more pleased with his decision to take off his gloves as he let his fingertips continue their gentle caress of the pale skin, the heat from his core chasing off the chill. He wanted to slide his hands further, to graze against the spine and lower back. To-

Vlad stops that train of thought, keeping his thoughts pure as he caresses the back of his neck, his body giving an involuntary shudder when Daniel returns the favor. He bites his lips to stop the sigh that threatens to escape his mouth, the chill beneath the younger halfa’s fingers causing his core to twitch in delight. 

It feels absolutely wonderful, divine really.

Vlad’s heart was compelling him to say more. He knows what he wants to do, but he’s not sure how Daniel will take to his head being tilted up and kissed-

So, he settles on something else. 

“I want you to understand how much you mean to me,” He mumbles from deep within, lips close to the teenager's ear as he mumbles his thoughts. “There is no one in this world or the ghost zone that would ever compare to you,” Vlad whispers, somehow pulling Daniel closer, his heart and core racing at the way they seem to keep getting closer and closer. 

I want to kiss him-

But he can’t bring himself to do it, too worried that Daniel will hate him and that everything will be ruined if he follows his instincts.

Danny’s body shivered at the confession, his head spinning and body heating up with a fierce passion and overwhelming desire for proximity he had never experienced with anyone else.   
There was no one who could ever compare to the genius, powerful, cunning… dangerous ghost that was before him. 

God… those fingers at his neck felt so good. The feathery touch sending shivers throughout his spine, the tingling sensation of those hot digits grazing parts of the skin near his hairline, the sensation only slightly dulling when they grazed the collar of his black suit. 

There was an intense need to touch the other halfa just as much. 

His fingers released the death grip on Plasmius’ suit, and started caressing the large wide back, feeling the contours of the man’s shoulder blades. Sparks jumped at his fingertips as his cold digits touch the heated surface that so lovingly warmed his body.

In the back of his unconscious, he cursed the white suit that prevented his fingers from touching that blue skin. To feel that soft heat beneath his fingers and feel the heat spark with the cold of his fingertips without the dulling of fabric. He wanted nothing more than to pull off his own white gloves. To rip the white shirt of the older halfa and-

Shit! What the Hell was thinking!

Fear coursed through the young ghost at the sheer need to be so close to the older halfa. Feeling a pull bordering on obsession and god this must be some kind of ghost thing that was making them both insane.

Against almost every fiber of his being, he forced a transformation back to human, ignoring the pained protest of his body at the action. 

He winced at the sense of deep loss he felt at severing the bond that was building between the cores of the two ghosts, forcing himself to stop holding the elder halfa and stepping back to give them both space, even when everything in his being was screaming at him to go back and fix what he had done.

He forced it down, instead following his sister’s expert advice on how to best manage emotions. 

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Two. Inhaling for 4 seconds, holding his breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and holding his breath again for 4 seconds, desperately trying to use the oxygen coursing through his body along with the rhythmic breathing to calm his raging heart. 

::::::::::::::::

Vlad shivers a bit, pressing into the younger more to wrap him around his warmth, their cores still dancing around each other. He wants to do more, to push Daniel against something and-

To his dismay, the younger halfa starts to pull away and he forces himself to stay where he is, slowly letting his hand drop to his side, not before lingering for a moment to absorb all the contact he can get. He wants to protest, his core sinking in dismay at the way Daniel leaves his side.

The bond that had been growing between them starts to lessen and it gives Vlad the chance to transform into his human side as well, feeling awkward floating there as Plasmius when there is no Phantom by his side. His core protests at the loss of the other halfa, but he ignores the pain and also takes a step back, knowing space was needed between them if they were to continue as things had been. 

All he wants to do is touch Daniel, though. He feels the need for icy skin to be pressed against his warm skin, for them to move in harmony. The balance between them is powerful, but he knows to leave it alone for now. 

These emotions were strange and consuming even for him, he can’t imagine what Daniel must be going through. It must terrify the other halfa to death, and that lets Vlad see a new perspective on things. So much was changing and while Daniel is bright, he’s likely never dealt with anything of this magnitude before. 

He needs space. Vlad realizes, taking another step back for good measure, watching the way he does a breathing exercise to regain his bearings. 

Danny’s breathing relaxed him a bit, and after opening his eyes, he gave the elder halfa a one sided smile. “Well, we better eat before the food gets too cold.” He declared, trying to put whatever had happened between the two behind them. 

But it felt so wrong to just completely dismiss what had occurred, especially the personal declarations during the heat (and cold) of the moment. So he settled for letting the other halfa know that he acknowledged the fact that the man would stay in Amity. “Besides, we still have to figure out how our schedules will work for training.” He gave the billionaire a bit of a sheepish smile. “My schedule may not be so free right at the moment, so we would have limited time in training now, but I will definitely have lots of time in a few months after school is over.”

He hoped that he conveyed his desire for training to be a long time thing, because the teen was too prideful to say it directly.

Especially with how vulnerable they had been just now. He needed some sort of wall as he figured out what the hell was going on.

:::::::::::::::::::

Vlad gives a single nod. “I agree. It would be a shame for the food to go to waste.” he agrees, ignoring the pain in his core at the way they pretend nothing happened-

Until Daniel spoke up again, at least. The words make a small smile appear, and he nods, thinking of the training schedule they need to create. 

“Unless you want to do your training after school, the only other day that works for me is Sunday.” Vlad informs, going to take his seat on the opposite side of the table, his core twinging in pain at the separation. 

His only day off was Sunday and occasionally Saturday. Being the Mayor and a Billionaire for successful companies meant that his free time was limited. Thankfully, his term would be over with soon, and it meant he’d only have to attend a few meetings. No more worrying about the city and the useless events he was forced to attend.

Danny had sat down on his end of the table, grabbing the fork to start eating once more while conversing with the elder halfa, doing his best to ignore the slight hollow feeling and pushing down the need to be close to the man before him. The pull that, even in human form, made his core pulse strangely. 

‘There is definitely something ghost related going on here…’ He thought. He wondered if Vlad had also been curious about their strange reactions to each other. This reaction had certainly never happened to the younger halfa. Had it happened before to the older halfa?

Somehow the thought made his blood boil and his core flare for the briefest of moments.

Coughing into his hand, he prayed that Vlad had not noticed that. Things were already weird between the two at the moment for his powers to be flaring on occasion…

Vlad continued. “I’ll also have more time once my term runs out, which will be in a few months.” Vlad informed, wanting to assure Daniel that he would offer his time in training the younger halfa. He knew the training would not only mean a lot to the younger, but he had no intention of letting such a thing slip through his fingers. 

He would happily accept anything if it meant spending more time with the other.

Danny smirked at the older halfa. “You mean, you actually do honest work from time to time?” He teased, trying to bring back the friendly atmosphere from before all the weirdness began. 

Sometimes he honestly forgot that Vlad had ‘normal’ things that could occupy his time. Sometimes the young halfa thought his Mayor business was just for show, the only actual work in the position relating to political gatherings, speeches, and perhaps the occasional paperwork that just needed a signature. Easy street. Though in all honesty, that thought would have applied to almost any politician the teen could think of, not just Vlad. 

He had actually been surprised the week before when the man had spent over 3 hours reading paperwork while the teen watched. At the time he had thought that Vlad was just doing it to annoy and bore him.

But maybe there was actual work needing done in the office. 

Vlad smirks at the playful banter, glad to see that things are becoming less awkward now that they’ve separated. His core still gives a twinge in pain at the loss, but it isn’t as unbearable as it had formerly been a few moments ago. As he eats some more, he can feel the cold return, the warmth in his own core flaring up in response. Sapphire-blue eyes chance a look at Daniel, hoping to spot the issue. When he doesn’t see anything outright wrong with the younger halfa, Vlad looks away to focus on something else. 

The last thing he needs to do right now is to observe Daniel so intently, not when it’s clear to him that the events prior had made him uncomfortable. So, he doesn’t stare for long. Vlad does a subtle sweep through and leaves it be, figuring it’s for the best that it be left alone. 

“Of course.” Vlad teases back, smirking at the teenager. “If I don’t work, no one else will bother to read all that wonderful paperwork,” He replies sarcastically, still smirking. The funny thing is that it’s true. Besides his secretary, Cynthia, no one else would bother to read the sheer number of pages he had to on a daily basis. If he weren’t in charge of numerous other companies, being the Mayor would be a piece of cake, but since he’s also a billionaire, he gets even more issues dumped on his plate from the city. 

Vlad helps when he can, but there is only so much he can do. It would help if some of the companies stopped pushing their own personal agendas and actively take part in helping the city, but they care too much for their wealth. 

It reminds him of himself from a few years ago if he’s being honest. It’s not a pleasant correlation, but at least he’s changed his views for the most part.

Danny then thought about the offer of training after school carefully. Yes, he very much wanted to spend more time with the older halfa. Hell, he would much enjoy coming over here everyday after school. A thought that still surprised the young teen. 

It must be the influence of whatever was happening with Phantom…

He would just have to control it. 

Sadly, even though he did want to spend more training time with Vlad, he knew that it was not as feasible with his friends around. They would certainly find it odd if he started disappearing everyday after school when they usually hung out. The weekdays might not work.

Unless…

“What time do you go to bed?”

The question had slipped out without him carefully considering his words, and he couldn’t help but remember that night in the elder’s bedroom.

In the man’s bed.

The need and odd feelings returned almost full force and he had to take a second just to collect himself. He coughed in his hand again, blush tinting his porcelain skin as he tried to fix how that sounded and soundly ignoring those feelings that rose once more. “Uuhh, I-I mean, at what time do you usually go to sleep? It would be difficult coming here after school without Sam and Tucker being suspicious.” He tried to explain. “But I could come by late at night…”

That still sounded a little weird, and Danny really, really wanted to find a rock to hide in at this very moment. Unable to meet the other’s gaze. Why was he being so weird?

Vlad had been lost in his own thoughts, and the question Daniel asked quickly grabs his attention, his core doing an odd flip at the wording. While he knows it’s not what the younger meant, his core seems to like the idea and it gives a faint pulse, but he shoves it down as he tries to ignore the heat that wants to rise. 

By the looks of it, even Daniel seems to be impacted by his own words, the teenager fumbling over his explanation. Vlad wants to smile at the antics, finding the rambling to be quite endearing, but he keeps his features blank for the time being, waiting until Daniel is done rambling. 

The way Daniel hides from his gaze makes Vlad offer a small smile, knowing well that the teenager is out of his comfort zone, so he steps in to offer what he can. While he may not be able to solve all of the younger halfa’s problems, he can offer help when needed. 

“It usually depends on the amount of paperwork that I have to do. If I don’t have much, I’m generally in bed by one or two.” Vlad responds. “You’re more than welcome to come over in the evening if you feel more comfortable doing that.” 

While he hadn’t interacted with Daniel’s friends in a long time, he was well aware of how protective and anxious they would become if they discovered where their friend was spending a lot of his time. 

Not that he could blame them, anyway. 

“Is there a time you’d prefer to come over?” Vlad asked.

Danny was pleased to hear that Vlad, similarly to himself, went to be late. 1 or 2am also being on the earlier side for the young halfa. 

Although it had not been fully surprising to the young halfa that Vlad stayed up late, remembering how the man used to cause havoc in his life late at night back when Plasmius had been an evil villain. 

Had been an evil villain. It was still a bit weird to think about. 

He lifted his gaze to look at the man sitting in front of him. This Vlad seemed so different from the Vlad of before. More calm. More put together. 

More considerate. More gentle… More nice…

More attractive.

Danny choked on the food he had been chewing and almost spit it out as he coughed gasping a little for air. 

What the fuking, fuck!

Clearing his throat, he mumbled an apology. Refocusing his thoughts on the time the man had said he went to sleep. 1 or 2pm.

Perfect.

Danny smiled and nodded, his heart pulsing with happiness that he would be able to spend quite a bit of time with the older halfa. “My parents are generally in bed by 10pm. I could probably be here by 10:30 at the latest?”

Vlad glanced up in worry when he heard the other start to choke on his food, his eyes carefully watching the younger to ensure that he was okay. His trained eyes take notice on the way Daniel seems to flush, but he quickly attributes that to the fact he’s choking. He wants to ask if he’s okay, but Vlad knows he doesn’t have to voice his concern. It must be written on his face because Daniel looks to him and offers a small apology and starts to speak before he can even think to open his mouth. 

The following words make his heart flip in excitement, his core warming his stomach slowly. Training Daniel starting around 10:30 at night? It sounds wonderful to him, but it could be the bias he feels. Still, training the other halfa is something he’s always wanted to do. 

Vlad had no one to turn to when he gained his ghost powers. He had to learn the hard way on how to handle them and control some of his more powerful ones. There was once a twinge of jealousy that Vlad felt when thinking about the fact that Daniel had his friends to turn to, but now, he was happy that the younger halfa had those people in his life. 

It makes the need to train him intensify. Vlad wants to offer his knowledge and, it might be selfish, but he wants to be the one Daniel needs. Yeah, it’s selfish and possessive, but at his age, Vlad can’t bring himself to care all too much. 

Besides, he was getting better at giving people space. In his past, the billionaire had pursued Maddie and it had made her not only uncomfortable, but he had ruined their friendship because of his inability to take the hint that she didn’t want him in that way. 

Vlad wouldn’t let the same thing happen with Daniel.

Danny’s smile suddenly widens, excitement starting building in the young halfa as it sinks in that he was actually going to train with Plasmius! The strongest ghost in all of the ghost zone!

There was soo much Danny wanted to learn from the seasoned ghost. More efficient duplication, how to make objects out of ecto-energy. Teleportation was amongst the highest priorities for the teen.

“Can we start today?!” Danny asked with clear excitement in his voice and a fire in his eyes. Then, realizing how childish he was at asking something so sudden and inconsiderate of the other’s time, he winced and hunched his shoulders sheepishly. “Hahaha… I-I mean, if you don’t have anything else to do.” He raised his hands in the air and immediately continued. “Which you probably totally do! After all, I did just randomly showed up here completely unannounced!” He then waved his hands dismissively. “And it’s not like I also have things to do at some point too, so it's no problem if you are busy.” He suddenly realizes he was rambling and shuts the hell up, sinking even further in the chair in embarrassment at his eagerness then inability to close his mouth. 

Vlad’s core practically brightens when the other essentially starts to bounce on his chair, clearly excited at the prospect of training. The sentiment is not only returned, but the emotion is contagious, and Vlad can’t stop himself from smiling. The way Daniel rambles on quickly grows on him, and it means so much that the younger halfa obviously wants to spend time with him, even if he tries to downplay it. 

“I have no issue starting your training today. It would be an opportune time to begin, I believe.” Vlad says, not wanting to dismiss Daniel’s excitement. “Even if I were busy, I’d never throw away the opportunity to train you, Daniel. I want to help you succeed. Dealing with these powers on your own can be difficult, especially the more volatile ones.” He explains, smiling more. 

“Is there a particular power you want to focus on later?” Vlad asked, curious what it was that Daniel desired to know. There were many things he could teach the teenager, such as the ability to teleport or create small portals. 

All of these powers took time to learn, however. They were the abilities that he had learned almost six years after his accident. He would have to make sure the teenager knew his own limitations.

‘Even if I were busy, I’d never throw away the opportunity to train you, Daniel.’ Vlad’s words struck a cord, and he found himself smiling fondly at the older halfa. The strange feeling coiling around his chest pleasantly as he gazed back into that captivating sapphire gaze.

Shaking himself out of the short trance, his smile widened as happiness overtook him. “YES!” He fist pumped in the air, too excited to contain himself.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” He asked as white rings surrounded his body, transforming him into Phantom, his glow brighter than usual due to his enthusiasm and elation as his legs turned to a long ghostly tail.

Before Vlad knew it, the young halfa scooped up all of the silverware and dishes, including both of theirs and the leftover food. Phantom balanced some of the dishes both of his hands, including his forearms and even his head. With a quick dash, the teen left the dining room.

The clinging sound of plates alerted the elder that the boy had placed the dishes in the sink. Shortly after, Phantom returned with a huge, face splitting grin. “Let’s go old man. We haven’t got all day!” He teased as his long tail coiled and flowed naturally. 

Phantom’s ghostly tail had grown longer since the last time Vlad had seen it, indicating maturity. Its significant length, slender form, sheek texture, and gentle flow of movement almost hypnotizing, indicating that the young ghost had a lot of powerful energy and was a very healthy and attractive ghost. 

Vlad stared, transfixed. Seeing Daniel transform into Phantom always managed to take his breath away, the sight of the ethereal glow doing things to his core that he had no intention of dealing with at the time being. The sight of the longer ghostly tail caught him off guard, but he couldn’t help but look. It felt like it was only yesterday when it had been a short tail, and Daniel had barely been able to keep up with him. On instinct, he transformed into Plasmius, still focused on the tail.

The sight was entrancing, his blue fingers feeling the urge to run down the length and see how soft it was. Was the tail sensitive? Would Daniel press into his touch, or would he-

No. No more of that. As if breaking from the trance, he stood up and smirked at the younger halfa with his brows raised. There was a smirk on his face, his fang glistening in the room as he gazed at Daniel. He couldn’t help but look at the energy around him, taking note of not only the power, but the sheen he had, which was always a good thing. 

“Very well, Daniel. I have a training zone underneath my lab. It’ll be the best place if you’re wanting to attempt something new.” Vlad explained, taking off his usual cape and sending it to his room with a snap of his fingers, the cape disappearing with a flash of magenta. 

Now that the cape was gone, there was nothing to hide the muscles the older halfa had. While he wasn’t overly muscular, his chest and arms were well defined in his ghost form. 

Phantom gulped, slightly faltering as he looked at the powerful ghost before him. 

Oh, fuuucckkk… What those fangs did to him…

His ghostly tail began to unconsciously flow in an enticing writhim, beaconing the strong ghost to come closer, and Danny was entranced by just imagining those glistening white sharpness piercing his sensitive neck as the heat of ghostly energy surrounded him-

‘Phantom! Stop it!’ He scolded himself as he stiffened and blushed a deep neon green. 

Movement caught his attention as expertly Plasmius removed his long cape with a fluidity and grace that indicated mastery, and Danny felt his core flutter at the sight of well-defined muscles and wide sturdy shoulders. 

He shook his head. It is just a guy with some muscle. A guy with a white suit that shows the dips and contours of those developed, manly muscles that flex as the man’s moveme-

‘Ghah!!!’

“Coming, Daniel?” Vlad called, waiting on the younger halfa to accompany him to the training room.

Phantom snapped to attention at the other’s call, and shook himself, slightly embarrassed by his awkward pause. He pushed down all other strange feelings and urges and instead focused all of his attention on the familiar thrill of battle. 

He smirked, then flew downward at lightning speed as he phased through the floor. “Beat ya there, Frootloop!”

Years of spying on the older halfa’s mansion meant Danny knew where many rooms were, and he had a good idea of the ‘training room’ Vlad had indicated due to the room’s size and what was in it.

Once in the room he took a position on the one side of the room, almost bouncing with anticipation. 

‘Okay! Let's do this!’

::::::::::::::::

Vlad couldn’t help but wonder what was going through Daniel’s head prior to calling him, but he didn’t dwell on it for long, too invested in starting their training. It had been too long since he had last seen Daniel’s powers at play, so this would help him not only become closer to the younger, but it gave him the chance to see Phantom in action. There was a part of him that missed seeing the teenager use his powers, missing seeing the ethereal glow and the gleam in Daniel’s eyes when he performed a difficult trick. 

His excitement was growing now, the prospect of witnessing the power from the younger halfa making his core purr in excitement. There were times in his office or before bed that he would suddenly be hit by the image of glowing green eyes or Daniel’s signature blast. Each time he thought of those attributes, his core would practically buzz with adrenaline, wanting the younger halfa to be at arm’s length.

Chuckling softly, he flies after Daniel, debating on using his abilities to transport himself there instead. Deciding against it, he flies into the room, enjoying the feeling of letting his ghost side out. There were moments where he felt like he cooped his ghost half up too much, and when he was able to transform into Plasmius, he never wasted the opportunity for the freedom it provided. 

His ghostly tail swirls around slowly, the urge to let it wrap around Daniel’s starting to fester. He tries to push it down, but it lingers at the back of his mind, not quite going away, but pushed far enough that it’s no longer at the forefront. However, Daniel’s smile and excitement are still contagious, and the older halfa has to stop himself from letting his eyes linger on the bright smile.

Calming some of his excitement, Danny took a deep breath out of habit (as ghosts do not need to breathe). Shifting his position and body weight, he turned to the side and slightly crouched, lightly bending his knees and rose his right hand in front of him while the left whent to his back. Taking a fighting position he had never shown in front of Plasmius before.

Working with ghost gadgets had not been the only hobby he did with his mother.

At 16 years old, Danny had encountered a weak energy ghost causing havoc at one of the buildings. He had thought it was going to be an easy win.

Until he had gotten wiped across the floor, his ass handed to him by expert physical combat style ghost.

It had taken him quite a bit of time (and quite a bit of ass whoopin) for him to finally beat the ghost. His pride was quite damaged. He shouldn’t have had so much trouble with such a low level ghost!

But the encounter had taught him a valuable lesson. He needed to focus less on random punches, random kicks, and ecto energy and more on his physical fighting moves.

Remembering that his mother was a black-belt in karate, he turned to her in order to learn how to physically fight, his mother only all too willing to pass on her knowledge to her favorite son.

He had been 16. That was 2 years ago.

And he had been training ever since then. 

He smirked as he looked at the powerful Plasmius standing right before him, a part of his mind wondering if the older halfa also knew some physical fighting moves? 

His core pulsed with anticipation and energy danced on his fingertips. Either way, he was definitely going to impress the man this time. 

Vlad’s eyebrow raises in slight surprise at the position Daniel puts himself into and he lowers himself to the ground, getting into his own sparring position. He takes a look at Daniel’s form, knowing it will need some work, especially in the leg area, but he’ll tell him after showing him his mistake. 

While he was proud to know that the younger halfa was paying more attention to his physical moves, his trained eyes noticed the minuscule details that needed to be fixed, such as his posture and the way he stood. It was something that could be easily corrected in a few movements, but Vlad wanted to see what Daniel had learned before fixing the errors. 

“I’ve seen your mother take a similar position when fighting ghosts.” Vlad hums, looking at him with a smirk, fangs peeking out. “I’m glad to see you went to her for training.” There was no denying that Maddie was experienced in the martial arts, but her form was good for her body style. When it came to her son, that same style wouldn’t be as effective. 

Phantom's score gave a little sparkle of joy at the elder’s comment, hearing a bit of pride in that ruff sensua- ahem!-... smooth voice. ‘He noticed!’ His grin spread further, happy that Vlad had seen his sparring form as improvement of his physical fighting style. 

Adrenalin pumped faster as he watched Plasmius go into a fighting stance as well, overjoyed that it seemed like the elder was going to take him seriously this time.

Though he couldn’t really blame the man for not going into a fighting stance against a 14 year-old with newly acquired ghost powers.

To be honest, Danny sometimes asked himself how the hell had he gotten so lucky all those times they fought when he was younger. Had he really been able to beat such a behemoth that stood before him?

Vlad’s eyes glow a magenta color as his fangs peek out further. “Let’s see how much you’ve learned, shall we?” He purred, motioning for Daniel to take the first move.

Danny’s grin turned into a smirk as he watched the other motion for him to attack. “You're going to regret that~” He antagonized as his eyes flashed brighter neon green, his energy pouring off of his form in waves (having never really been trained on the importance of conserving energy during battle and using it in moderation). 

While Vlad hadn’t known what move Daniel was going to use against him, the way the younger halfa surrounded himself with energy made the billionaire frown a bit to himself. He would have to correct that in a few moments, not enjoying the fact that Daniel was wasting his energy like that. 

Danny dashed at great speed towards the older halfa. Speed was one of Danny’s two greatest strengths (although unfortunately he had not had proper training as to how to make good use of it). Charging the elder then, feinting a frontal attack to swoop to the other’s left side, trying to land a kick on Plasmius’ ribs.

Vlad raises an eyebrow at the taunt, smirking more when Phantom used his speed as a first attack. While it could be a decent strategy, from the looks of it, Phantom still had issues using it in terms of fighting. Vlad easily stepped out of the way, quickly side swiping Daniel’s blow. 

With practiced eased, he grabbed ahold of Phantoms leg, flipping him over onto his back. 

Phantom gritted his teeth in annoyance at being so easily floored as he lay there on the ground. 

However, his dismay quickly dissipated as he looked up at the older halfa standing in all of his powerful glory above him, and his face flushed green, and not from the exertion. 

“Your speed is impressive, but we need to work on your form.” Vlad looked down at the younger, his core thudding at the sight of him on his back like that, face flushed and hair disheveled. 

If only this could be on his bed-

“I’ll show you a better position.” Vlad was quick to change his thoughts as he helped Daniel up.

  
Danny shyly looked away as he took Plasmius’ hand and got up. Lifting his hands in an attempt to brush off some dirt.

Vlad then positioned himself against the younger halfa’s back. “You need to spread your legs more. You’re keeping them too close.” He mumbled, words ghosting across Daniel’s neck.

Danny stilled when he felt a pleasurable warmth against his back, making his core flutter pleasantly.

‘You need to spread your legs more’... Why the hell did that simple sentence make his body shiver and his core pulse out rapidly in response? His skin flushed green in embarrassment and something else the younger was not ready to deal with yet as the elders breath tingled on his sensitive neck. Unconsciously tilting his head to the side to give Vlad more access.

He bit his lower lip in an attempt to pull himself together. Flashes of Plasmius grabbing him by the waist and sinking those brilliant fangs in his neck crossing his mind and oh damn… was it getting too hot or cold in here??

:::::::::::::::

“By keeping your legs further apart, it limits the distance you have to kick. Before, your legs were too close together. It’s why I was able to grab your leg…so easily…” Vlad trails off, swallowing hard at the way Daniel tilts his head to the side, as of he’s asking for Vlad to mark his neck-

“And you want your arms to be more separated as well. If you keep them too close together, it’s harder to block an attack and hit at the same time.” He moved Daniel’s arm into a better position, shivering at the ice that was beckoning him to press closer. Vlad closes his eyes as he relishes the sensation, unable to help himself. 

“O-okay…” The teen stuttered almost as a whisper. Fighting tooth and nail against whatever his core was begging for. Whatever pull was trying to distract him from the battle he had to concentrate for and yet, not finding enough strength to pull away from the heat that engulfed him from behind.

This time, Vlad couldn’t resist as he pressed his chest into the cold back more, his own warmth spreading through his body. All he wanted to do was press his lips against Daniel’s neck and leave a mark on the pale skin. His possessive nature flared to life at that, but he didn’t follow his desire, instead, he let his hands rest on Daniel’s waist, thumb caressing the area slightly. 

“For your style, I wouldn’t recommend crouching. It limits your movement.” He mumbled against his ear, trying to force himself from not wrapping his arms around the younger’s waist. Vlad succeeds in that fight, but he can’t stop himself from stroking the sides a little more, his core burning brighter as he keeps Daniel against his chest. 

He was fucked.

:::::::::::::::

Phantom shivered as he felt the increase in heat against him and he purred. His core sending cooling pulses in tandem with the warming, pleasant heat.

Dammmnn… this felt nice….

He felt as if he could stay like this forever. Goosebumps rose against his neck as that suave voice caressed his ear. 

“Uhhuhhmmm…” Even with the verbal acknowledgement, the truth was that the teen had not really been listening to what the other had been saying. Too hypnotized by the warmth of the other’s energy, smooth voice, gentle touch on his sides, the feeling of the breath on his skin…

Shit! He was doing it again!

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to separate from the elder halfa and flew to the other end of the room, settling in a battle stance similar to how Vlad had instructed. 

It was all Vlad’s fault! Why did that Pompous jerk have to have a Vampire as his ghost form? With those delicious looking fangs that he would very much like-

‘Ffuuuuck…’

He gets it now. 

His entire body glowed green in shame. ‘Oh god…’

He had been attracted to the man in front of him. 

Neon eyes open wide at the realization, and he tried vehemently to justify this new information somehow. 

Teenage hormones… thats. It.

Teenage hormones that blew up anything and everything and made even things that were innocent sexual. But… Vlad? really?

It had to be the vampire thing. There was no other explanation.

Danny had a thing for vampire movies and the idea of being bitten by one. But it always was with female vampires, right?

I mean, he can admit that some of the male vampires did look handsome. Some with nice black hair, nicely toned body and… OH MY GOD!

Phantom stood shocked still with all of these thoughts going through his mind at once, completely taken aback by the revelation. 

Then he glared at the older halfa, almost growling at him. Shifting everything (the confusion, the shock, the strange emotions) into anger. “Okay, Plasmius. See if you can dodge this!”

And he flew upwards, about to use his second greatest strength; His abundance of powerful energy.

Gathering all of the power he could muster in 4 seconds, he shot the blasts towards Plasmius below him, shooting blast after blast in an attempt to overwhelm his opponent.

And vent his frustration.

A move he always relied on ever since he had first gained ghost powers. He always attacked head on with uncoordinated assaults that, against someone who was not an experienced ghost, always worked.

Had Vlad not been an experienced ghost, that attack would have worked, but he knew Daniel a little too well. He sighed and created an ectoplasmic shield that held steady for the most part. It formed a few cracks from the onslaught of Daniel’s attack, but it kept him from receiving an injury. 

From the looks of it, Daniel was pissed. Perhaps his touching had made the halfa uncomfortable, or he was sick of being told that his form needed correction. Whatever the case, the billionaire knew not to test Daniel too much, otherwise, it would cause a breakdown. 

“You’ve certainly gotten stronger, but you should conserve your energy more instead of using it all at once. Effective shots come from using your power in moderation.” Vlad kept a professional tone, not getting closer once he lowered his shield. He dulled his core down so it wouldn’t be as noticeable, keeping his gaze on Daniel’s flushed form. 

Knowing how much energy it took for him to use that move, it was likely the younger halfa was already feeling his exhaustion.

“I think endurance training in your human form would benefit your ghost half,” Vlad thought out loud. “Or just endurance training in general.” He kept his distance this time, making sure they were far apart. The last thing he wanted to do was make Daniel uncomfortable, so he stayed away.

‘Dammit!’ Danny was getting even more pissed. He had thrown explosive attacks at the older halfa and didn’t even land a single hit? Talk about damage to your ego. 

Panting heavily from the exhaustion, he grinded his teeth, channeling everything he had into anger and building remarkable energy, that glowed around his body, pouring off of him in waves and making the room very cold.

‘Effective shots come from moderation, you say?’ Danny mocked mentally, showing a victorious smirk. ‘Lets see how you can handle this one, Frootloop.’

He flew back, almost flush against the opposite wall. He clenched his fists and spread his legs apart and braced himself taking a very deep breath…

… And let out his ghostly wail… combining it with his ice powers, creating a devastating sonic blizzard.

Vlad should have been expecting the ghostly wail to come next, but in all honesty, he had almost forgotten about the teenager's strongest attack. How he could have forgotten such a brutal attack, he had no earthly idea. Barely forming a shield in time, he grits his teeth as he tried to hold his ground, the power of the wail nearly making his knees buckle. 

Closing his eyes, Vlad did what he had to do in order to stop the room from being destroyed. Lowering the shield, Vlad sent a powerful ball of ectoplasmic fire, hoping it would cancel the blizzard out and turn it into rain instead. 

Lowering the shield had sent him backwards quite a bit, but he was still standing his ground as he sent a weak shot at Daniel, knowing that after exhausting himself from the ghostly wail, it wouldn’t take much to win their “fight”

He sighed to himself, wishing things hadn’t ended like this today, but there was no redoing the past. 

Instead, he stood there and waited on Daniel to make another attack, if the teenager could even muster the strength to do it. 

“Like I said, Daniel, moderation.” He had his arms crossed, but he wasn’t upset, just seeing if Daniel was going to send another attack his way.

“Tsk!” How the hell is that man still standing?!

Phantom panted heavily, trying to catch the breath he honestly did not need in his ghost form, and yet a behavior that still remained as a vestigial trait for the halfa’s. 

He was exhausted, having poured almost all he had in the attack, convinced that he would have been able to disarm the older halfa. 

To no avail.

Now his anger was redirected towards himself. Furious not just because of the lunacy he just discovered about himself and what he was experiencing earlier, but also because he had almost let himself be consumed by hatred. 

Reminding him a little of Dan.

That thought sobered him up quite quickly.

‘Dammit. Plasmius just brings out the worst in me, doesn’t he?’ He thought with frustration. 

Taking a deep breath, he left his crouched position and stood straight. Crossing his arms, he smirked at the older halfa. “Well… I had to try.” Almost as if he had not just moments ago sent a catastrophic attack that almost leveled the room. 

“Besides, it was probably best that we end this early anyway, as I have to go see Sam and Tucker soon.” He lied as he brushed off some of the dust that had gathered on his suit.

Vlad knew it was a lie as soon as Daniel said it, since not too long ago the teenager had practically been bouncing off the walls to train with him. He nods his head and debates turning back into his human side but decides against it until they’re back on his main floor. 

There is something wrong with Daniel, but he can’t place his finger on it. There’s anger and something else hidden in the depths of the sky-blue eyes, but he’s not sure what it is. 

He can only hope it’s not hatred. Even if Daniel doesn’t feel that way about him, the last thing he wants to do is lose the teenager. Vlad would be willing to hide any feeling he might have as long as he gets to spend time with the other halfa. Quickly changing his course of thought, Vlad turns to smile at him.

“A good idea, Daniel. I’ve got some papers to read before work.” He uses his powers to clean any mess that the younger halfa might have left. “I’ll see you…eventually,” Vlad hums, for once feeling awkward around the teenager as he dismisses him. 

What else could he do? He can’t dare get too close. 

So he decides to keep the distance between them, even if his core shutters in dismay. 

“Have a nice night, little badger.” Vlad mumbles as they float back to his entrance hall, finally landing near the doors. Once there, he transforms back into Masters.

Danny noticed something in the elder’s tone. Something in the way the other said his goodbyes made it seem like Vlad did not expect Danny to return.

And it broke his heart.

‘Dammnit!’ He is always screwing things up. Vlad did nothing wrong and yet he had just treated the other badly.

He transformed back to human as well, unsure of what to say. How to convey to the older halfa that he just needed some space to figure shit out.

Aside from the obvious, just telling him.

But he couldn’t just say that. Hell, if he had to explain he couldn’t just say; Hey, I think I might be sexually attracted to you but I am not gay. That makes total sense right?

Or did he have some inclination that way?

Gah! It was all just so damn confusing! 

He took a deep breath and sighed, looking at the billionaire whose mood seemed down, his mood also dropping a bit at seeing the man so… sad. His core clenched painfully. 

There was no way he could leave things like this…

Vlad was surprised to see Daniel hesitate by the door, but he made no move to show him out. It was clear that the younger halfa needed space and time to deal with whatever was making him so volatile lately. He was worried about the other, but he knew that it was something Daniel had to figure out on his own, seeing as he was an adult now. He offered a small smile, growing more worried at how sad the halfa looked. 

He hoped his own mood wasn’t interfering with Daniel’s. He made sure to brighten his core up just a tad, hoping it would ease the sadness if only a little bit. Vlad forced himself not to shift at the penetrating gaze, wondering what was that the other was planning.

Danny watched the billionaire sadly. Looking at the button-up shirt that was so odd, yet nice, to see on the billionaire. Definitely nice to see the man with his lovely hair down for a change.

He wanted to cement that image.

Putting on a smile, he placed his arm over the other’s shoulder and faced the same way as Vlad, taking out his phone and taking a selfie with Vlad beside him. His core did a brief shudder at the contact, but he pushed it down.

Grinning after he took the picture, he looked at the older halfa, myrth in his sky-blue eyes. “My dad would not believe that you let your hair down! I just had to take a picture to show him just in case you don’t have it down when I come back to train again next Monday night.” Making it as clear as he could that he was going to come back, hoping that will make the other smile.

::::::::::::::::::

Vlad raised an eyebrow at the sudden smile, and he was going to ask what the other was planning. (Vlad had learned long ago that whenever a sudden gleam formed in Daniel’s eye, it usually meant he was up to something.) Deciding to follow along, his heart did a small flip when an arm went around a shoulder, a phone camera coming out of nowhere, and taking a picture. 

It wasn’t until that moment that Vlad remembered his hair was down, making him give a soft snort as he shook his head. “Your father is going to have a heart attack when he sees that.” Vlad joked, running a hand through his hair on instinct, fixing it but not putting it back up. 

Knowing that Daniel was coming back did relieve him, but now he knew to give the teenager more space during their training. He didn’t know what came over him, but he couldn’t allow such a thing to happen again, not until Daniel dealt with whatever was bothering him. 

“I look forward to it, Daniel-“ He smiled, but was cut off by a vase breaking in the background and a guilty mewl that followed. Vlad sighed in slight annoyance, but it was replaced by a fond look. “If you’ll excuse me. I have a mess to clean up.” Vlad mumbled, smiling more when Maddie mewled again.

Danny was glad to see a smile back on the man’s face, his heart skipping a beat and thinking that the smile fitted the man when he heard the vase break in the background.

Danny laughed, imagining the mischief Maddie had gotten into. “She’s always up to no good. Reminds me of you.” He said with a fond smile as he studied Vlad’s soft gaze at the beautiful kitty. 

A look that almost took the air out from his lungs.

He had never seen the older halfa gaze so fondly before, sharp features softening along with a gentle smile that warmed his heart.

He very much wanted to see that look again...

Clearing his throat, he transformed into Phantom. “Well.” He flew upwards, giving a salute to the older halfa. “See you later, Frootloop!” He gave a final wave, and phased through the large entry door. 

His core aching painfully the father away he flew, seeking that warm glow that left a hollow emptiness behind. 

_________________________________________________

A/N: We thank ya’ll for your wonderful comments and support of our roleplay turned fic! :)

Goten Son Ten: Hey all! I wanted to invite yall Pompous Pep lovers to the Pompous Pep discord I moderate! :) 

We have fun Pompous Pep discussions, share art, Have other Beta your Work, explore fun what-ifs, roleplays, get fanfic recommendations, join seasonal events (Halloween event has started!), bounce story ideas, cute emojis, and more! The Pompous Pep server invite is https://discord.gg/u6cSG5b on Discord. 

(This pic made by our talented Admin Plasmius, who also does cute emojis!)


	5. Just For You

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

Poor Danny paced his bedroom restlessly, events from earlier in the day and the events from the week before playing through his mind. 

It all made sense now!

He had been feeling… attraction, towards the older halfa. 

But he wasn’t gay… was he?

Reaching underneath his mattress, he grabbed one of the magazines he hid and opened it to one of its pages.

A naked girl looked liscenseously at the reader and he stared at the image feeling the familiar pull of arousal. Okay… not gay.

But his mind traveled to some of his reactions when in Vlad’s proximity, feeling again that pull of arousal as his mind recalled the silky platinum hair, the blue button-up shirt that accentuated the man’s sapphire eyes. Oh, those eyes that can penetrate one’s soul-

‘Okay…’ He pulled at his black hair in frustration. Just when the hell had he started feeling attraction to Vlad Masters of all people??

No. Maybe it wasn’t Vlad Masters. Maybe it was Vlad Plasmius who he was attracted to. Or rather, Phantom was attracted to.

Somehow, something about that fiery core of Plasmius called to his. The freezing cold that he used to master so well would not be tamed in the presence of the other man unless he felt the complementary heat that balanced his soul. Just witnessing that incredible strength that Plasmius commanded at his fingertips. The flexing of his blue skin underneath the white suit. 

Those fangs…

Shaking his head (and being far more aroused than he cared to admit) he flopped on the bed face up as he stared at the glow-in-the-dark star stickers that lined his ceiling. 

Maybe… maybe this was temporary? Maybe his core was just acting up like the first time he got access to his elemental powers. After all, he did recently enter ghost maturity (according to Skulker who didn’t hesitate to announce it one of the last times he had fought the mechanical ghost). 

Maybe he just needed extreme heat, like a fire core, to balance his chaotic one?

But then… why had he become aroused thinking about Vlad in his human state…

He wiped his hands over his face in frustration. Maybe… Maybe he could ask Clockwork what was going on. He trusted the time ghost.

‘Ok!’ 

He transformed into Phantom, adrenaline pumping through his veins at the thought of getting an answer to this insanity. ‘Time to figure out what the hell is going on.’

__________________________________

Vlad was excited, yet apprehensive about the training that would take place in his mansion in a few hours. His mind was racing a thousand miles per minute, eyes looking at the papers on his desk with a blank look. He was supposed to be reviewing these papers for an important meeting on Friday, but he couldn’t find the willpower to pay attention to the mindless drabble on the endless papers. 

He wasn’t conflicted with his emotions, the billionaire was well aware of the emotions he was feeling, but he was concerned with the way he was starting to act around the other halfa. It was hard to control himself when Daniel was nearby, the urge to touch him, or press against him growing stronger and stronger. 

Knowing he needed to put some distance between them was an easy concept, but it was a hard one to follow through on. It wasn’t just his core, either. There was no denying that he also wanted to be close to Daniel. His core just pointed out how right it felt to have him so close, it wasn’t the sole reason he was experiencing the attraction.

Sighing, he tosses the papers into another folder of documents that need to be reviewed but can’t be bothered to care at the moment. 

“Long day, sir?” Cynthia asks, coming in with another stack of dreadful papers. 

“Let me guess, it’s for ITouch again.” Vlad guesses, making his secretary sigh and nod, handing over the new documents. 

“Yes, sir. It’s about the security breach they experienced the other day.” She informed, letting Vlad make a mental note to go through this particular document later. He files it away with the other more important papers and tucks them into his bag. 

“Thank you, Cynthia.” He dismisses her as he collects his other papers, knowing it’s about time to leave for the day.

Instead of taking the short way home, Vlad decides to take the long way, knowing he’s going to need all the relaxation he can get before tonight. 

Here’s to hoping nothing happens tonight. He thought with an internal sigh as he enters his home, smiling when he hears the excited mewls from Maddie, who runs up to him with a delighted purr. 

“Someone missed me today,” Vlad cooed, reaching down to pick her up and pat her head. “Were you lonely today?” He asked, earning a nuzzle against his chin. Smiling, he goes to sit down for a few minutes and pet her before starting on a simple dinner. 

He makes homemade chicken soup, making sure to put the leftovers in the fridge in Daniel is hungry later. 

Sighing, Vlad heads to his office to get some work done before tonight, heart racing in anticipation.

……

Once Vlad is home, he quickly loses the three-piece suit and adorns something more suited for training, such as a tightish fitting workout shirt. After he takes a quick shower and changes his clothes, Vlad starts on making the chicken soup, adding pieces of the chicken to boil in the pot, along with the vegetables and broth. He stirs it slowly, adding other seasonings to bring out the rich flavor. 

“Meooow.” His cat rubs against his leg, making the halfa chuckle softly as he cuts a small slice of chicken for her, watching the way she gets on her hind legs to sniff at it first, before snatching it with her paws. After the meat is in her stomach, she gives a soft purr, letting the man know she was now content. 

“You are a very spoiled cat,” Vlad teases her, smirking at the way she preens at that, slinking over to her favorite ledge to curl up and watch the man cook. As he finishes adding the last vegetable in, he suddenly gets an idea that came out of nowhere. 

“Brownies?” He asked, making Maddie perk up and look at him with a tilt of her head. She meows in response, closing her eyes and curling up again. Vlad looks to his oven thoughtfully, biting his lips at the options before him. 

Daniel had expressed enjoying sweet things the last time he was here, as well as wanting to try some of his baking. This was as good a chance as any to bake for the teenager, was it not? Of course, there was the possibility that Daniel wouldn’t be hungry or want any, but there was also the off chance that the teenager would want something. 

Going with his gut instinct, Vlad decides to bake his signature brownies, figuring he could take them to work if Daniel didn’t want any. Everyone at the office knew of his cooking abilities when it came to the Mayor. 

Or he could even convince Daniel to take them home to Jack and Maddie, who had loved his brownies after he started to make them more often.

Knowing the soup wouldn’t be done cooking for another hour, Vlad starts the process of combining the needed ingredients, almost going into autopilot as he goes through the familiar motions. The recipe is ingrained into his mind, despite not having baked this particular brownie in years. It just goes to show how some things become part of who you are, even if you ignore it for so long. As he mixes, he can’t help but think of Daniel and the chance to be close to him again, that icy core pulsing back into his flaming one. Vlad wonders what it would be like to kiss him when they’re both in their ghost forms, their tails wrapped around each other, their cores pulsing and-

When Vlad comes back to it, he flushes when realizing he’s almost done with the mixture, even though it feels like he only just started. Shaking his head to clear his mind of his previous thoughts. Vlad adds his special ingredient of chocolate chips and places the baking dish into the oven, setting a timer for twenty-five minutes. 

Memories of the other night resurface, and Vlad bites his lip at the memory of pushing against Daniel’s back, his hands slowly rubbing at his sides. He remembers the way Daniel pressed back against his chest, even going so far as to tilt his head to the side, almost asking-

Fuck, that’s a thought. 

His core gives a jolt of need at the thought of kissing the pale column of the neck, sucking, biting and…marking him. Swallowing hard, Vlad forces those arousing thoughts away, knowing they’ll resurface once he’s alone in bed. Wincing, he shakes his head again, trying to snap out of it. 

It’s getting harder keeping his feelings hidden from the younger halfa and there is that anxious part of him that is worried Daniel will never speak to him again if it comes out. That was the issue, though. It was getting difficult to stop himself from gravitating to the other, the pull of their cores getting stronger each day.

He’s snapped from his thoughts when the timer goes off, signaling the completion of his soup. Not long after the soup goes off, the brownie timer goes off as well, letting Vlad have the chance to prioritize his thoughts on something that isn’t Daniel. 

Once the brownies are placed in the oven to chill, he scoops some soup for himself, almost grabbing another bowl before remembering that Daniel isn’t here. Placing the empty bowl back in the cabinet, he heads to the table to eat his dinner. 

“Meow?” Maddie mewls when she notices the almost sad look on her owner, purring when he scratches her chin. 

“I’m alright, dear.” He promises before going to take a seat and eat at the large, empty table. Looking at all the empty seats makes him sigh and shake his head, wondering why he ate in here when there was another table that was much smaller. 

Because you enjoy reminding yourself how alone you truly are. Vlad thinks, but ignores his own deprecating thoughts. He goes through the routine of eating and washing the dishes, then heads into his study to focus on the paperwork waiting for him. 

As usual, Maddie follows him and makes herself comfortable on his lap, kneading at it before she deems him comfortable enough. She yawns and licks his hand, making the Billionaire smile down at his dozing cat.

“You are a sweetheart.” He chuckles, turning his attention to the mindless nonsense written on the papers. He grimaces, wondering how some of these executives managed to graduate and earn a degree in business. There were many errors that needed to be dealt with, and it all fell on him. 

___________________________________

  
Danny’s parents had gone to sleep before 10pm on Monday, just as Danny had predicted.

Turning into Phantom, he grabbed a tiny remote, pressing the ‘off’ switch to turn off his parent’s forcefield outside of his home, and snuck out of the house. 

Instead of heading straight to Vlad’s, he flew to what had always been his first stop in his patrol, a smile widening when he saw who was there waiting for him at the park, as always.

“RRRufff!!!” The green puppy greeted excitedly. 

“Hey there, boy!” Danny greeted as the puppy literally flew into his arms and started licking his face relentlessly. “Haahahaa! Okay! I can see you missed me!” A bright smile as he held the energetic puppy and tried dodging the ‘doggy kisses’. 

Once the pup was settled enough to stop assaulting Danny, he hoped from the teens arms and ran in a small circle, tail wagging fast as drool spilled from the hanging tongue.

Phantom felt a bit bad. “Sorry buddy.” He apologized as he pulled out doggy treats from his body and fed them to the green ghost puppy. “But I can’t walk you at this time during the weekdays anymore.” The puppy lifted his head and looked into his eyes, ears rose in complete attention and the pup gave a small whine. 

“Don’t worry buddy, I will be able to walk you later tonight, Okay?” He rubbed the doggy behind the ears. “I will still walk you everyday. It just will have to be later.”

The pup lowered his head and ears drooped sadly. Danny felt his heart ache for his doggie (his for he had unofficially adopted him a few years back). 

“How about this?” He asked as he grabbed his phone out of his chest. “You go patrolling the city for me and when I get back you will get double the treats?” The pup looked slightly convinced. “I’ll even bring some yummy beef~” 

“Wwooolf, wooolf!” The puppy began circling him excitedly, tail wagging. 

Danny laughed at the adorable antics. “Perfect! Come here boy.” He opened his arms and held the pup when he jumped into his hands. “Now, I am counting on you, okay?” He declared as he phased the phone into the puppy. “You need to patrol the city for a while for me. It is important that you do.”

And it was. 

There was no way he could use the ‘tracker was damaged’ excuse every time he went to visit Vlad. Sure, they would only know his whereabouts if they actively searched for his location (which his friends would not usually do unless they feared he was in trouble because they respected his privacy), and sure, his friends were probably asleep by now. But one couldn’t be too careful.

Especially regarding Sam, who was extremely protective of him. If she even got a grain of suspicion... who the hell knew what she was capable of doing...

He put the puppy down and the pup stood at attention. “Wwoolf!” A large, big dog sound had come out of the little doggie, a sign that the doggy understood it was an important mission. 

He smiled fondly. “Okay. I am counting on you.”

The pup gave a last cute puppy bark, and flew off.

Danny sighed, a weight lifted off of his shoulders. He should be able to visit Vlad without worry that his friends will find out where he was.

Floating upward, he began his flight towards Master Manor, suddenly thinking about his travel through the ghost zone over to Clockwork’s tower. 

The time ghost had not been present.

Danny had looked for hours inside the tower trying to find Clockwork, with no success.

It honestly worried him.

No matter when he would visit the ancient ghost, he had always been at his tower expecting his arrival. One of the things the teen looked forward to was tasting those wonderful cookies the ghost made.

Absentmindedly he wondered if cookies made by Vlad would taste better.

He sighed tiredly at the thought. His mind had been plagued by the elder halfa ever since he realized his attraction to the man. It had been ‘I wonder if Vlad this?’ or ‘I wonder if Vlad that?’ or ‘I wonder if Vlad liked this?’ or ‘I wonder what Vlad is doing right now?’... so on, so forth. Just like a schoolgirl with a crush.

It was driving the teen insane.

For fuck’s sake, it had only been two days! Two days since he had seen the older halfa and he already missed the man terribly!

Missed those piercing blue eyes, that arrogant smirk, the gentle touch he hadn’t known the elder possessed as he carded those long fingers through his hair, to gaze upon the man’s silken silvery hair…

Man… would he kill to have the opportunity to run his own fingers through that luxurious hair. 

He smiled as he remembered how, that Saturday, he had caught Vlad with his hair down. His heart warming at how gorgeous and regal the man had looked.

I gotta stop thinking…

At least, until he figured out what was causing his ghost side to go all crazy for the fruitloop and take his human half along for the lunacy.

Especially since Vlad could, under absolutely no circumstances, learn about his attraction.

The man would literally kill him.

He ignored the pang of pain that cut through his core at the thought, choosing instead to focus on the joy of flight.

Which didn’t distract him whatsoever. 

Not that anything had really. Earlier today he had been incredibly distracted (much more than usual). But dammit! He couldn’t stop thinking about seeing the older halfa tonight!

He continued his flight and felt when his core gave a joyous thrum as he entered Vlad’s territory, already feeling the halfa’s power that permeated within the Earthly domain as he unconsciously sped up to reach the other ghost faster. 

He wondered if Vlad noticed his arrival, even in his human form?

According to what he had been recently learning about ghosts (from Clockwork, no less) was that they had a ‘haunt’ of which they would mark a radius with their ghostly energy that would alert them to intruders upon their territory. The time ghost had told him that the size and radius depended on the power of the ghost, but that it was a lot harder to do it in the living world than in the ghost zone. 

The fact that Vlad’s haunt was large attested to the man’s incredible power. 

Normally that energy acted also as a natural ghost repellent because most ghosts not only respected territory etiquette, it was also incredibly dangerous to enter a powerful ghost’s territory without invitation.

However, entering Plasmius’ territory felt welcoming to Phantom, and he couldn’t help a fond smile at the familiar warmth that was unique to the older halfa. 

He himself had not tried to create a haunt. The place he would do it was his house, but that was not feasible because of the Fenton Ghost-Repellant Forcefield almost always on outside his house. 

And because of that, his ghost side never really felt at home anywhere.

Except for, he suddenly realized, in Vlad's territory.

Danny tried to suppress the increasing pulses as he neared the mansion.

Once outside, he hovered at the entryway. 

Should he ring the doorbell and wait, or should he just fly right in?

Would Vlad mind?

Deciding that he should do the polite thing, he floated to the ground, taking cautious looks at his surroundings. 

Once convinced that there was no one to see, he transformed back to human and rang the doorbell, waiting for the older halfa to invite him in.

::::::::::::

Vlad had been unaware of how long he had been sitting there, managing his paperwork, until a shiver escaped his core, letting him know a ghost was on his property. Vlad closed his eyes and nearly gasped, feeling the familiar pull of an awaiting icy core. 

Slowly getting up in an effort not to jostle his sleeping cat, he placed her back on the chair once he was off. Smirking, he dusted the fur off his pants and headed to his door when he heard the doorbell chime. 

“So he does have manners,” Vlad teased after he opened the door, letting Daniel in. 

Danny just stands at the doorway for a few seconds, not saying anything as he just gazed at Vlad in the face.

While his peripheral gaze very much looked at the tightish shirt the older halfa was wearing. 

Trying desperately to control his already excited heartbeat that kinda wanted to burst from his chest, especially at seeing that tight fabric hugging that well-defined chest so tightly and oh god this was leaving little to the teen’s hyperactive imagination while he thought about that body pressed against his back, just like the other day during training. Or when the man was teaching him how to properly cut with a knife. But this time, maybe they could both be shirtless, maybe sweaty from training as their body heat-

Oh for fuck’s sake!

In all the years knowing the man, never, not once had he seen the billionaire out of his signature 3-piece suit. Not one friggin time!

Now he has seen the older man dressed in fetching clothing twice in less than 3 days! Especially during the same time he was soundly trying to control his core temperature and ignore whatever ghost pull that had been causing his crazy attraction to the other halfa.

Of fucking course. Such was his damn luck.

Taking a deep breath, he made himself move and enter the manor, pushing down the blush that threatened to give him away. 

Vlad smiled, core pulsing happily as they made eye contact. “If you’re hungry there’s homemade chicken soup in the refrigerator, as well as fresh brownies. And if you don’t want the brownies, you’re more than welcome to take them to your father. Jack loved them in college.”

Danny paused when the man mentioned brownies, and he looked back at the older halfa with a greedy glint in his sky-blue eyes. “Don’t want brownies?” He gave a devious smirk. “It’s as if you don’t know me, sir.” He said in jest.

Vlad’s core is thudding happily at their proximity, glad that Daniel is once again by his side and not miles away from him. Having the younger halfa by his side helps him to relax, his core feeling at ease knowing the younger is with him. There’s also the aspect of his possessive personality that is greedy for Daniel’s attention, not wanting to share him with anyone else. The thought of anyone getting close to his little badger makes his core flare in possessiveness, the warmth spreading through his skin before he tries to dial it back. He doesn’t want to alarm the other halfa about the changing temperature, or the way his core wants to reach out to the ice. 

“Mmeoww!”

Danny’s attention was pulled to the soft white fur rubbing against his leg. “Meow!” Maddie looked up with a happy gleam. 

Vlad forces his core down and is about to lead Daniel into the kitchen, when his cat excitedly goes to the younger halfa, obviously happy to see him if her loud purring is any indication. 

“Hello again, girl~” Danny cooed with a gentle tone as he crouched down, holding a purring Maddie who quickly hopped on his lap. Danny gave a soft chuckle, gazing lovingly at the gentle creature that rubbed against him.

After the gentle greeting, he pulled out some of the kitty treats he always brought and set a few on the floor for her to enjoy. 

Vlad’s smile is warm as he watches the two interact, core giving a strong pulse at the scene. 

Sugar cookies, Daniel was adorable when interacting with Maddie. If anything, it only made his attraction to the halfa even stronger, which wasn’t exactly the best, given his situation. “She always misses you when you leave,” Vlad says softly, smiling more as the cat happily ate her given treats. 

So do I.

With the knowledge that Daniel did indeed like brownies, he felt some tension leave his shoulders. Maybe it was the fact that he wanted to make something the other would love, but it was a huge relief. There was also the realization he wanted to bake amazing food for the younger and impress him. 

He really did have it bad, didn’t he?

Danny smiled at the beautiful white cat. “How can she not miss uncle Danny when he visits? After all, we both share the same fabulous snow-white hair.” He gave the kitty a few more pets before he rose from the floor, Danny turning to Vlad once more with a grin and bent and gestured with his hands in a ‘you first’ suave gesture. “Lead the way to delicious sweets~”

“In that case, the brownies are this way.” Vlad hums, leading Daniel into the kitchen, where the baked goods were in the oven in order to remain warm. He uses his ghost powers to place the baking dish on the table, where a knife and spatula appeared. “They were made with love,” He smirks, teasing the younger.

Danny snorts at the elder’s comment. “You better not be getting too soft on me, old man.” He teased. “I’d better not see heart-shaped brownies on that pan.” He laughed at the thought.

Though deep down, even though he certainly wouldn’t admit it, the idea actually had his chest warm a little and his core do a small flip, his cheeks tintin with a light blush. 

“Ahem. Well, lets dig in!” He took the knife and cut a Jack-sized portion for himself (so he was his father’s son, so sue him). And took a large forkful bite.

Vlad snorts at the joke and glances to Daniel with a teasing glint in his eyes, his lips pulled into a small smirk. “No heart-shaped brownies? Noted.” He teased the teenager, eyes holding an element of mirth in them as he looks at Daniel, core pulsing at the flush. Averting his gaze before he’s caught staring, Vlad waits on Daniel to serve himself a slice, watching as Maddie comes in and sniffs the air. She silently huffs, knowing no amount of begging would get her a piece, so she gets on the chair beside her owner, curling into a ball as she closes her eyes. 

“Hhhhmmmmmm….” Danny couldn’t help the pleasurable long-drawn out moan as the gooey fudge melted in his mouth, his eyes closed as his face expressed pure bliss. 

Dammnnn… It was incredible!!

The consistency was even in every bite, and the chocolate chips gave the pizza flavor that complemented the sweet perfectly.

Hearing the sound of a pleased moan, Vlad turns to where Daniel is and feels his face flush at the reminder of such a provocative sound. He cuts his own slice to get his mind off of the image of Daniel's eyes closed in bliss, the sight making his core and gut burn. 

Well, at least Daniel liked the baking 

That thought also makes his core burn, but in a less desperate way. He’s merely happy knowing that the other halfa enjoyed his brownies that much. (And yes, it inflates his ego quite a bit more.)

Danny chewed the wonderful treat very slowly, taking his time savoring the deliciousness. Taking a deep breath after he swallowed, he looked at the older halfa with a very joyous smile. “Damn Frootloop. If I had known you were this good at baking I would have joined the dark side ages ago.” He joked. 

Like his father, Danny had inherited the obsession with all kinds of fudges. Especially chocolate. 

His father had taught him how to bake the Fenton Fudge (as his father would call it) and he learned how to make a pretty decent fudge, if he said so himself. But his father was the master of fudge.

Or so he thought until now.

Sure, one shouldn’t judge overall fudge making capabilities based on one single type made, but Danny was willing to bet his bottom dollar that Vlad, based on how utterly delicious this one was, had replaced the ‘master fudge maker’ title from his dad. 

Danny smiled at the older halfa, his core pulsing so pleasantly at having tasted food made by the other halfa, even fluttering at the thought that perhaps the man had made it especially for him.

Unlikely, but it was a nice thought…  
  
“Oh? And to think that I could have had you on my side by just making my signature brownies…” Vlad said wistfully, clearly teasing the other. It was nice to know that Daniel was enjoying his baking to this degree. He would certainly have to bake more if it made the other moan like that. 

Or, an even better way to make him moan-

Ignoring his straying thoughts, Vlad takes a bite of his own, giving a soft hum of pleasure. Yeah, he still could bake a mean brownie. He would have to make Daniel something else next time. Maybe his double chocolate chip cookies, or his homemade cheesecake-

Daniel’s smiling face does something to his core, making it heat up thud, almost as if it wants to burst out and wrap around the other halfa. That was a nice thought, though. Having Daniel in his arms-

Danny pointed the fork in Vlad’s direction. “But seriously, not that your ego needs anymore boosting, but this is delicious!” 

He forked another piece, his cheeks reddening a little as he rose the fork to his lips. “Now I’m going to have to come bug you more often for more of these delicious treats.” And quickly took another bite. “Ummm… Yep. Definitely coming back for more.” He declared with a mouth full.

The teen was certainly going to finish his portion, and grab some more while he was at it. There was definitely not going to be any leftovers for his parents. This was all his.

“I’m glad you think it’s delicious.” Vlad smiles back at him, core pulsing with a need that gets stronger and stronger. “I wasn’t sure if you liked Brownies, but I wanted to make something just for you.” Vlad says before he can stop himself. 

Once he realizes what he admitted to, he flushes and takes a bite of his brownie, trying to keep it casual.

Danny startled, eyes wide as he stared at Vlad when he heard the statement, not sure if he believed what he had just heard. ‘H-he… he baked these… for me.’

That thought had his chest warm and tighten, the same butterfly feeling in his stomach return, his heart beating a million miles an hour. There was something so sweet. So kind in the way Vlad had smiled at him. Something gentle in the other’s tone that made his core pulse a coolness spreading through his chest even as his face warmed with a slight blush.

Sheepishly, he looked down at his own plate in contemplation. ‘Why am I feeling this way? … ‘Why does his words do this to me?’ … ‘Why do I feel so special that he went out of his way to bake something so delicious just for me?’...

His mind traveled back to two days ago, something else the other had said that also made him feel so special.

‘I can’t leave the only person keeping me here’ 

It had almost sounded like… like…

No. That’s crazy. How could he even think such a thing. That’s insane.

The real question was why did he feel like a part of him wanted it to be that way?

He really needed to figure out what was happening to Phantom. Maybe he will try the Time Tower again this weekend. Maybe Clockwork had things he needed to do and just wasn’t home at the time? After all, the place looked intact.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he returned his attention back to the man in front of him.

There was something different about the elder halfa. Something more… calm? Collected?

It was odd to the the older halfa look soo… relaxed. Natural.

Before when they were enemies, it made sense that the man would be on his guard whenever the teen was around. And even so, Danny had seen a couple of interviews on TV with the billionaire and the way the elder had carried himself on those occasions was soo very different than how the man was now. 

And those rare smiles…

Not the ‘I’m holier than thou’ smirks or grins full with malice, but the actual (dare he say it?) joyful smiles that he was now seeing in the older halfa within the past few visits. And even his laugh…

His laugh was hard, but smooth, and Danny felt himself recording the sound in his memory.

With a gentle smile, the teen looked at his plate, gazing at the last piece of fudge. “I’m going to save this one.” He set the fork down, then quickly added. “F-for dad. I’m sure he misses your signature fudge.” He lied. 

In all honesty, he wanted to save the last piece to have later, when he could be more alone with his thoughts as well as savor something the older halfa had made just for him. 

Lifting a hand, he absentmindedly fisted a part of his shirt next to his heart in thought.

After a few seconds, he stood up and grabbed his plate, Vlad’s, and the baking pan.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Focusing on his brownie after his embarrassing confession, Vlad lets his gaze settle back on the younger halfa once his blush is gone. He discretely observes the way Daniel looks down at his plate, his look resembling someone shy. There was even a small flush on those cheeks and Vlad tears his gaze away, growing curious as to what was making the younger flush like that. 

He could swear that the room was a few degrees chillier as well, signaling that Daniel’s core was starting to peek out. It took all of his self-control to keep his own at bay and not answer the siren’s call of the icy core that kept beaconing him to come closer. 

Vlad couldn’t help but wonder if the other halfa was unknowingly pulling him in, or if he was the one pushing towards the ice. Maybe it was a mix of pull and push, their cores both wanting to mingle with each other-

That thought made him nearly choke on his brownie, starting to connect certain things together until he came to a conclusion. Of course, his conclusion could have been wrong, because the truth was that he didn’t know everything about the ghost zone and its inhabitants, but this symptom reminded him of something he had read in the Ghostwriters library. 

Maybe he was jumping to incorrect conclusions. This was something he had merely read about and had yet to ask the ghosts about such a concept-but he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind now that he had thought of it. 

Could Daniel be his mate? 

The billionaire wanted to scoff as soon as he thought it inside his head, thinking it sounded dumb once he clearly thought it over. 

Yes, he was attracted to Daniel and that attraction was deep-rooted. He enjoyed spending time with him and watching him smile and laugh. Whenever those glowing green eyes showed themselves, he felt his core give a pulse of-

Okay, but even if he felt all of those things, there was no way that Daniel returned that sentiment. The eighteen-year-old saw him as a friend or better yet, a mentor now. With their training, there was no way Daniel saw him as anything more. 

His core shuddered at the negative thought, but Vlad ignored it and finished his brownie, trying to get his mind off of things he couldn’t have. 

It was ironic, in a way. He could remember going after Maddie again and again, but her rejection had never felt this way before. With Daniel, their relationship felt special and so much more. It was like-

Again, he stopped his thoughts there and placed his fork down, unaware that Daniel was soon picking their plates up 

Danny walked towards the kitchen, but before he walked out of the dining room, he looked over his shoulder, saying in a bit of a shy, low voice as he tried to hide a small voice. “Thanks for making the fudge, Frootloop.” And left for the kitchen. 

“You’re welcome, Daniel. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Vlad felt himself smile, heart catching at how shy the other looked in that moment, the softness of it taking his breath away.

Get it together, Plasmius. Vlad thought to himself, as he watched the young halfa leave to the kitchen. 

Fuck, how long had he been deep in thought for? He was usually better at keeping track of certain things, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself from overthinking tonight, especially when the idea of him and Daniel being mates-

No. He had to stop that train of thought. It was just a flawed hypothesis he came up with while overthinking the smallest of details. It was as Daniel said, ‘his fruitloop’ tendencies were showing through.

The small walk and momentary separation from the older halfa helped Danny clear his thoughts a little, and shift his attention to the upcoming task. He was certainly curious as to what the older halfa had in mind for their training, especially since the man had purposely worn that tight shirt currently hugging the man’s torso. A part of him wondered if he was going to see Vlad sweat and how that would look- 

Well… so much for clearing one’s mind…

“Ahem!” He cleared his throat as he returned to the dining room. “Well, let’s go do some training!” He declared with an excited smile, trying to avoid having anymore problematic thoughts. 

“As you wish, little badger.” Vlad teased, getting up with ease and joining the younger before turning into Plasmius. “Do you want to resume where we left last time, or would you prefer to start somewhere else?” He asked, fangs glinting in the light.

Danny was somewhat disappointed when Vlad transformed into Plasmius. He had this crazy idea that he and the older halfa would train in their human forms today, watching Vlad’s tanned skin shine with perspiration, see his muscles flex during weightlifting, seeing that confident smirk and glint in the sapphire eyes- Okay Phantom! Stop it!

Because of course, it had to be Phantom’s fault.

And also of course, it was Vlad’s fault for dressing so sexy-

‘Gaaah!!’

Frustrated, he also transformed, doing his best to ignore all previous insanity.

Only to enter another.

Dammnnn… Was it just him, or did Plasmius look a little more… glowy and powerful today? 

And those fangs… Did they seem longer? Shinier?

Danny’s core throbbed and pulsed almost uncontrollably as he gulped audibly. Feeling a warm pull from the other that his own core nearly cried to be close too. Totally failing the ‘act cool’ rule he had set for himself for today. 

And those eyes… Those blood-red pools that pulled you into their depths in a see of fire and heat and-

Without warning, Phantom turned and phased into the ground at lighting speed, heading to the training room, hoping to take a short breather and calm his raging core before he could look at the older halfa again.

‘Lord help me…’ 

And he was not a religious person, but he was getting desperate, damnit!!

Vlad felt his core answer Daniel’s almost immediately, a slight flush forming at how deep it felt, like he was being dragged further. Whatever happened to the other halfa’s core made his own try and push out, wanting to be as close as possible. The chilly air soothed his heated skin, which practically soaked up the coldness, his core responding with a flare of warmth. Vlad tried to keep it down, not wanting to make things awkward like the last time. It felt like he was battling with himself, almost as if it were a battle of the heart and the mind. While he wanted Daniel desperately, he was forcing himself to not follow those desires, deciding to take a logical approach to it. And, the logical approach was to not pursue Daniel at all. 

It was easier said than done, however. How can you be expected to simply ignore your core when it felt like you were being dragged into by the other? How was it possible to push it aside when it unconsciously pulsed, needing to be surrounded by the other? 

In truth, it was a losing battle, and Vlad wasn’t sure how he felt about that. 

Until now, he had always been confident in pursuing his wants. When he was disillusioned about feeling attraction and love towards Maddie, he made it his goal to win her over. Vlad hadn’t cared about what stood in his way (besides Daniel) and had tried again and again to win her over. 

Yet, with Daniel, it feels different. It feels more special in the way he doesn’t want to fuck things up, but also in the way that it is stronger than anything he’s felt before. 

He is beginning to wonder how long he can restrain himself, Daniel’s answering core making it harder. 

Realizing that the other halfa had flown off, he follows after, allowing the flush to vanish from his blue cheeks.

Danny arrived at the training room, taking his position on one side of the room. He closed his eyes and taking a deep, relaxing breath as he waited for Plasmius. Trying to focus on all the new things he could learn from the older halfa.

He smirked in Vlad’s direction once the other arrived. “I don’t think we need to continue where we left off, we already know I was about to kick your ass.” He jested, but in all honesty, he really did not feel the want to fight against Plasmius like that. What had happened back there had taken a turn back to the animosity Danny wanted to avoid. Their truce was already fragile as it was, and he was afraid that if they spared in this manner before gaining more trust between them, that they could damage what they have just built. “How about you teach me how to teleport?” His smirk turned devious, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I can’t wait to scare you when you’re in your office unassuming.” 

Vlad watched Phantom with a smirk as the younger admits to wanting to learn how to teleport.

This was going to be interesting. 

“I’d love to see you try and scare me, little badger.” Vlad teased in response. “But if you truly wish to learn how to teleport, you need to follow my advice. It can be difficult at first.” Vlad explained, remembering how he had stumbled onto this particular trick. 

“When wanting to teleport, you need to envision where you want to be in your mind.” He informed, teleporting in front of Daniel. “If you can’t see where you want to be, it won’t work.” He mumbled, close to the other. 

“You will need to relax and clear your mind before thinking of where you want to be,” He spoke softly, voice deep.

‘Relax… yeah. That’s happening…’ He thought sarcastically as he stared into Plasmius’ blood-red gaze right in freaking front of him, his body shuddering slightly at the soft baritone voice that seemed to reverberate through his core.

Danny gulped, his body feeling that infernal heat that seemed to ooze from the older halfa in waves, and he had to do his best to suppress the wintery pulses that threatened to leave his core. 

“Okay. Piece of cake!” He lied through his teeth as he closed his eyes to try and concentrate and empty his mind. 

He remembered one of the stress relieving techniques his sister taught him before she left for college. Visualization.

He imagined himself in his favorite spot, floating in the ocean as a weightless current drifted him far away. Surrounded by the beautiful shining blue ocean that reminded him of those sapphire eyes-erm… skipping that…

Above the shallow water, he could see the blackness of the sky, little shining stars lining the sky in the dark night. Yet, if those stars aligned, how similar would they be to a certain ghost’s midnight hair with that unique white streak…. Okay… Let’s just move on to the balloon floating away all of his thoughts…

So! He imagines the same balloons that he always imagines starting to inflate those r-red… red balloons that reminded him of…

Yeah… clearing the mind is sooo not happening. 

With a defeated sigh, Danny opened his eyes once more, gazing into those blazing red eyes as he crossed his arms with a huff. “Plasmius, calm and relaxed has never quite been in my dictionary…” He said as he tried to contain his pulsing core at the other’s proximity. “Is there not some other way to learn teleportation?”

In all honesty, Vlad shouldn’t have been surprised that this was going to be harder for Daniel to grasp, seeing that it had taken him a long time to master as well. This was a discipline that was one of the hardest to control and master, many of the other ghosts not being able to use such power. The billionaire tries to think of another example to give, worried his explanation and teachings might be too much for Daniel to do. He thinks for a moment, before realizing one of his mistakes. 

“Visualization is important to figure out where you want to teleport to. Oftentimes it needs to be something familiar, such as a place you’ve visited. Teleporting somewhere you’ve never been is often impossible, as you need to imagine where you’re going.” Vlad moved behind Daniel, biting his lips at the icy temperature spreading over him, his entire body shivering in delight. 

“Start off simple, like the other side of the room, or a place in the mansion.” Vlad instructed, his core answering with a warmth that spread through him and over to Daniel, settling in the air. He tries to push it down, but the core in front of him is making it almost impossible to stop. 

All Vlad can do is focus on helping Daniel ease into teleporting, hoping the warmth of his core won’t bother Daniel too much. 

Holding it at bay and snuffing the fire burning inside of him is growing futile the more he spends with the other halfa.

Danny instinctively leaned backwards when Vlad had moved behind him, his cool back pressed against that warm chest and OMG…

His body shuddered and his core pulsed more rapidly, as if singing now that the much needed contact had been made with that burning essence that had been beckoning him all along. 

Phantom sighed in contentment as he closed his eyes and his head leaned back to rest on the other’s shoulder because the heat and the scent and the feeling and yess… It felt soo right.

Wait, it shouldn’t feel right. He has to get out of this blissful position. Even though every fiber of his being wanted, needed to stay like this…

He bit his lower lip hard enough to draw ectoplasm. Focusing on getting himself away from this. 

Anywhere but here.

Anywhere but right next to the man who was driving him insane.

His power flared, building within then spreading outwards, encasing his body and suddenly severing ice from fire.

And his legs buckled and his knees hit the carpeted floor, his arms crossing on his chest trying to soothe his aching core. His mind barely registering that he was in a different room.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad felt his core pulse in happiness and contentment as Daniel actually leaned into his chest, another wave of warmth shooting from him. He flushed, unable to stop the shiver as coldness seeped into his core, counteracting the fire that was growing stronger. Until now, he had been unaware that merely touching Daniel would feel this nice. There was his need to touch Daniel resurfacing and it was getting harder to ignore. He needed to-

Feeling all the air leave his body, he froze as the younger halfa leaned his head back against his shoulder, his core starting to practically purr in delight. Even though he didn’t need to breathe, it felt as if a lung had been removed and Vlad was left holding his breath, afraid the moment was just a dream. 

How long had it been since he last felt this at ease? How long had it been since the empty void in his chest had finally been filled? The pieces of the puzzle were finally together and Vlad hadn’t felt so alive, so wonderful-

Then there was suddenly ice against his body, a gasp leaving him at the unexpected chill, watching as Daniel fell to his knees and disappeared. 

“Fudge buckets.” He cursed to himself, the relaxation quickly being replaced by worry and awe. While he wasn’t too surprised by the fact the younger halfa had been able to teleport so soon, he was certainly impressed at the fact that Daniel had transported out of the room. It had taken him a long time to manage transportation that wasn’t in the same area. 

However, he did still feel the presence of a ghost on his property, which luckily meant that Daniel hadn’t teleported far. Before finding where the other ghost had ended up, Plasmius took a moment to collect himself, trying to douse the fire burning in his core, biting his bottom lip with his fang, almost cutting it, then flying up to go look for the younger halfa. 

:::::::::::::

Danny just stayed there kneeling on the floor for a few seconds more as he calmed his core and trying to catch the breath he really did not need in ghost form. 

‘I… think I did it…’ He thought, trying to look at the bright side as his core settled once more. 

Taking one final deep breath, he opened his eyes, he glanced at the room he had teleported himself into.

And his eyes widened in shock, a deep green blush tinting his tanned ghost skin. 

He was in Vlad’s bedroom.

Why the hell he had wanted to be in the man’s bedroom?!

Nope. Not thinking about that too closely…

Oh shit. What if Vlad caught him here of all places!!

Scrambling up from the floor, he dashed madly out of the room as if the devil himself was after him, but tried to fly normally once he was a respectable distance away, as if absolutely nothing weird happened just now. Nothing odd like teleporting into the bedroom of your ex-nemesis turned truce-mate. Or friend? Where they friends now? 

Somehow it felt like they were something other than truce-mates. Something more… (and his core fluttered at the thought) ...intimate.

Danny was very distracted by his thoughts that he almost ran straight into Plasmius. “Hehehe” He chuckled nervously, floating in front of the older halfa while a hand rubbed behind his neck in a nervous gesture. “I-I guess I succeeded in teleporting, huh?”

Vlad offered a small smile, not catching onto where Daniel had ended up. 

“That you did, Daniel. I’m proud that you managed to transport into another room for your first time. It took me a long time to even manage that.” Plasmius confessed, eyes softening at the sheepishness from the younger. 

Those words. Pride. The elder halfa was proud of him and he was through the roof with joy!

His core did a little flip and he couldn’t help the grin that almost spread from ear to ear. “Hehehe. What can I say? I’m a fast learner.” A light green blush tinting his cheeks. 

Vlad analyzed the younger halfa. “How are you feeling now? Your first time transporting generally takes a lot of energy from you.” he questioned, moving closer so he could feel the ice of Daniel’s core, not being able to stop himself. 

His core pulsed at their closeness, the warmth spreading around them, circling around Daniel.

Something shifted inside of Vlad that made it to where the warmth of his core was seeping out of him and filtering around the room instead, wrapping around Daniel eagerly. He bit his lips at the strange sensation that entered him after that, the coolness of the other halfa started to mix pleasantly with his own heat. It felt as if his core wanted to wrap around the other and keep him there for all eternity, to intertwine with each other and harmonize. 

Every time he inhales, Vlad can swear he feels ice entering his body, encasing him in a cooling comfort that makes him shiver with anticipation. He needs more of it. Vlad needs to feel Daniel in his arms and hold the other halfa closer to him, to feel their skin touching without the clothes in the way-

But Vlad makes his decision by keeping to where he is, making an effort to not cross the threshold that has been taunting him for weeks. He closes his eyes and allows himself to revel in the wonderful feeling while he can, knowing it will end soon. The billionaire takes one deep breath, shivering at a particularly desperate throb from both of their cores that makes him nearly give in. 

::::::::::::

Danny did feel quite drained, but having an insane amount of energy was one of his two greatest strengths, and he could certainly continue. 

He was about to comment such when he felt the other move closer, along with that delightful heat, and his words got stuck in his mouth at the undeniable warmth that wanted to consume him whole.

God, he just wanted to snuggle in that heat. Let it surround him with protection and comfort...

He began breathing a bit heavily, though far from exhaustion. Unknown to him, the cold from his core was purposely escaping with every panting breath, and allowing heat to enter in its stead with every inhale, mixing with his energy and fffuuuuckk… did his core buzz with delight. 

Not only was that warmth swirling within his ice core, but also began coursing through his veins and dancing with the flow of his normally cold ectoblood. Feeling almost euphoric.

He swallowed hard at the strange, yet pleasant sensations, not fully understanding what was going on, except that somehow the elder halfa’s wonderful heat was entwining with his soul and by god he wanted so badly to lose himself in it. 

But he couldn’t.

Clamping his jaw shut, he closed his eyes for a brief second to try and collect himself, then transformed back into Fenton, exhaling deeply. “Yeah. I’m kinda beat.” He lied, already missing that heat and feeling quite put out that he was going to leave the other halfa soon, his core giving a painful pang of loneliness. “It’s probably time I head home. I do have homework I need to finish for tomorrow…” Which was very much true, though he was far from wanting to go back home right now.

Vlad kept the intense need in his core at bay, despite the ache that begins to form when he forces himself to stay away from the temptation to hug Danny increases tenfold. His fang digs into his bottom lip, almost breaking the skin as his crimson eyes watch Phantom disappear. 

Feeling a simultaneous ache and relief, Vlad follows the example and transforms back into his human half. The urge to pull Danny closer is still there, but now that he has his core under strict control, it helps him to fight it off. 

Of course, he was disappointed that Daniel would be leaving, but perhaps it was for the best. 

There was no telling what would have happened if Daniel were to stay over any later. The thoughts of what could have happened make his core and stomach tighten with…something.

“Homework is important.” Vlad agrees with a small smirk, running a hand through his hair as he decides to let it down for now. “I think you’ve been doing an exceptional job with it considering your after-school activities.” He teased a bit, looking the teenager over. 

Danny’s heartbeat a little faster watching in awe as those dark rings encase Plasmius, changing the powerful handsome ghost into a handsome man seamlessly. He took up the details of the transformation of the elder halfa. This was certainly not the first time Danny had seen Vlad transform before, but it was the first time he actually took in the magnificence of the change. 

How that skin as blue as the sky turned a warm light color. How hair as black as night turned as silver as the bright moon. Eyes filled with fiery blaze changed to calm ocean blue.

The sight was breathtaking.

The teen’s sky blue eyes followed, transfixed, as Vlad ran those long digits through the silver strands, releasing them from their confine, hair cascading down to frame a strong jaw. 

‘Damnnn… That man looks good with his hair down…’ 

His heart hammered in his chest as he forced himself to look away before he had been caught staring. ‘I seriously have something wrong with me. Not only is he a man, but he is the same age as my parents! Get it together Fenton!’

And the man just had to praise him again, sending a jolt of pleasure up his spine along with that fluttery feeling in his heart and core. ‘Damnit.’ He tensed, scolding his body for not obeying his wishes. 

Putting his sadness aside as best as he could, he gave Vlad a mischievous smirk, looking at the wall clock and nodding towards the time *12am*. “Besides, I guess it’s time for your bedtime, old man.” He teased.

Though, he was incredibly tempted to stay. But Danny realized with a sinking feeling that the only way he knew how to spend time with the elder was doing ‘ghost things’. But he wanted to do so much more with the guy.

But what?

Cooking with Vlad had been awesome! But it was too late to cook...

Yeah. That was about it. It actually surprised the teen to actually realize that they really did not have that much of a foundation to their relationship aside from a recently made truce. And that did not sit right with the young halfa.

Maybe next time, he will think of a back up. Something he could do with the older halfa that did not involve ghost related things.

Hhhmmmm….

“Will you be fine going back on your own?” Vlad allowed himself to stroke Daniel’s hair slowly, fingernail carefully teasing his nape for a moment, before pulling his hand away. 

Danny’s core did a flip, pleasure flowing from his scalp through his spine when he felt the older halfa pet his hair so gently with that expert touch, feeling his eyes close a little as he couldn’t help but lean into the touch, his worries taking a backburner to the calming effect that gesture seemed to have.

And oohhh…

Goosebumps lined his skin at the gentle scrape of his sensitive neck, his body giving an involuntary shudder, a low hum escaping his slightly parted lips before he could stop himself. 

“Since you mentioned you were tired, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to fly home.” Vlad quickly explains, letting his hand linger, but he forces himself to pull away completely.

It was a good thing that Vlad had removed his hand right when he did, otherwise he might have done something downright idiotic…or worse. Fighting off the rising flush, he was unable to hold it down for long as his treacherous mind replayed the way Daniel leaned into his touch, those distracting lips parting as he hummed in what sounded to be pleasure. Just thinking about it made the billionaire shudder and bite his lips, the urge to trail his fingernails over the clearly sensitive neck making his core purr. 

Or better yet, gently sink his teeth into his neck and mark him…to claim 

Immediately pushing those lewd thoughts away, Vlad let his gaze sweep over Daniel’s form for a moment, wanting to see if the halfa was more tired than he was letting on. After all, if the teenager was more exhausted than he was allowing himself to say Vlad needed to help him get home. 

It wasn’t a way to spend more time with the other. It was simply a precautionary measure he needed to take to be on the safe side. 

Well, it was a mix of both, honestly. Not that Daniel needed to know in general. The younger halfa would never let him hear the end of it. 

‘You’re getting soft on me, old man’ or ‘who knew you could be so heroic.’ All of those made him smirk just a tad, already imaging Daniel saying those things. 

::::::::::::::::::

The teen’s body missed the touch terribly, and he was sorely tempted to lean into the hand that pulled away.

But he didn’t. 

He bit his lower lip, trying to get his craziness under control before he did something utterly stupid.

Speaking of…

His heart only beat faster as he remembered one of the things he was thinking about doing before he left, still debating if he should or not…

He also felt partially torn on the offer. One the one hand, he had wanted to take Vlad’s offer to be driven home in order to spend more time with the man, but his pride would certainly not let him admit weakness in front of the older halfa, much less when he is not really weak at all. 

Oh well.

Also, regarding the ‘special thing’… It really was now or never. If he did not do this now, he probably wouldn’t have the courage to try it again. 

He looked at the older halfa and gave a smirk. “I have much more stamina than that. You can’t drain me that easily.” He paused for a brief moment, gathering his determination. “B-but I kinda need to use the, ummm, the bathroom. Before I go…” He said doing his darndest not to stutter or sound overly weird. Hoping that the elder did not question the oddness of him using the bathroom before turning into Phantom (which would halt all bodily functions, which in theory would mean he could hold it till he got home anyway).

Vlad glanced at the other, who looked as if he remembered something. Before he could question him, Vlad rose an eyebrow at the request. 

“Of course, little badger. I trust you know where the bathroom is located.” Vlad stated, running a hand through his silver hair for a moment, debating on what to do next. 

It was clear that the other would be fine to get back on his own, so he decided to do a few last-minute documents before heading to bed. He cleared his throat, going to stroke Daniel’s hair one final time before the other left.

“If you need me, I’ll be in my study. Good night, Daniel.” He mumbled softly, a small smile on his face as he started to retract his hand, fingernail ghosting across the skin for a split second before it disappeared as Vlad walked away, leaving Daniel to his own devices. 

Danny was able to avoid leaning into the gentle caress this time, though it had been incredibly difficult not to. Biting back as much of a reaction as he could, his current nerves actually helping him focus on other things besides how the man in front of him made him feel.

He nodded to the billionaire and smiled as he watched the other retreat, already feeling the other’s absence. “Night, frootloop”. He half whispered, somewhat wistfully as his core gave a pitiful lurch of cold, already missing that comforting heat.

Vlad was curious as to what the other was truly up to, but Vlad knew well enough that he needed to get away from the other halfa for the night, before he dragged him into his arms and-

Fuck, he really needed to stop thinking about that all the time. 

Sighing, he sat at his desk and pulled out a folder, trying to focus on the mindless work instead of the presence he felt in his home.

Danny sighed, feeling a little lonely without the older halfa. He turned and headed in the direction of the nearest bathroom, only to pass the door and continue down the hall.

Double checking that he was indeed not being observed or followed, he half-jogged down another hall and up the staircase. 

‘I have to make this quick…’ Last thing he wanted was to get caught.

He stopped once he arrived at his destination and his heart started beating wildly in his chest.

The master bedroom.

The doubt entered his mind once more and he bit his lip nervously as he stared at the large mahogany door. ‘Should I?’

He always grew up with the belief that the bedroom was something private. Something intimate. Only those who were invited should have the privilege of entering the private room. But, Vlad had brought him to the room that one time… He thought with a blush as his core flared with the thought of that intimate gesture. How he had been given the privilege to be in such a sacred space. Feeling a bit of courage, he steeled his determination. He transformed into Phantom, keeping his energy low in the hopes that Vlad would not notice his location being somewhere other than the bathroom, and phased into the bedroom. 

It still kinda felt odd to be in this room even if his core seemed to sing with happiness. He did feel a little guilty for entering this space without consent, this time on purpose (rather than it being accidental teleportation. That was not his fault). 

Yet, still, memories of waking up in Vlad’s bed flud his chest with warmth, but the guilt of his current actions still lingered. Afterall, just because he had been ‘invited’ that one time, it did not mean he was always invited, or that he had permission to enter without the other present. That one time might have been a special circumstance. Though he couldn’t for the life of him understand why the elder halfa had not just brought him to any of the many other rooms instead.

Funny, how even years ago when he would spy on the older halfa, he would avoid the master bedroom unless it had been totally necessary. Though it was kind of odd, as a young teen Danny violated much of the man’s privacy in so many ways (justified as ‘hero work’ necessary to stop an ‘evil villain’), although the bedroom was still sort of taboo. 

‘Evil…’ Danny almost chucked at the thought. 

Looking back at all the things Vlad had done in the past, it was really hard to consider them evil, really.

These past few visits have really opened his eyes as to how powerful the older halfa really is, and with that knowledge there were a few revelations.

One; If Vlad really wanted to, he would have already killed his father, eons ago. Easily. Danny loved his father and all, but even he could admit that his father would not be able to stand up to a powerful specter, let alone Plasmius of all ghosts. Something was always holding the man back from pulling the trigger. 

Two; Vlad could not have been serious in his ‘evil’ plots. The man was a genius, both with ghost technology and with strategy. If Vlad had really wanted to take over the world or the ghost zone, he would have figured out a way. Or, at least, not have created such pathetic schemes that a 14-year-old could foil.

Which brought him to revelation number three; Vlad’s ‘evil plans’ always involved Danny for some odd reason. Aside from the ease in foiling the plan, there were always things that would alert the young halfa that Plasmius had been up to something, prompting the teen to investigate and find/figure out Vlad’s plans. It was as if the man had wanted to get his attention on purpose much more than actually completing any of his plans.

‘Vlad must have been so lonely…’ He thought sadly , his heart constricting and his stomach tightening as he looked around at the bedroom, lacking any type of warmth. No pictures of friends or family. Not even anything that really looked like it came from the heart.

But, perhaps he could change that...

Reaching into his chest, he pulled out a rectangular package, wrapped in bright green paper. On top sat a single folded note.

It was funny that the elder halfa had also prepared some ‘gift’ for today, he thought, a light-green blush dusting his cheeks as he recalled the delicious treat Vlad had made for him, holding on tightly to the wrapped gift against his chest. The man had specifically said that he had made those delicious brownies especially for him, and that thought made his core flutter.

But, unlike Vlad, he did not have the courage to give this gift to the older halfa in person. 

He gave a worried sight, as he looked down at the crudely wrapped present. He had never really been good at gift wrapping.

Nor had he really been good at gifting, either. Worry filled the pit of his stomach and he actually debated putting the package back into his chest, worried that the billionaire would not like his present. Afterall, it was nothing really that special.

What the hell could he, a mere 18 year-old, broke as hell, give a freaking billionaire? 

‘Well, if anything, he could use it as target practice.’ He thought bitterly with a sinking feeling as his core squeezed in slight pang. 

His neon-green eyes glanced to the alarm clock near the bed and thought about the time. Whatever he did, he would have to do it soon, for Vlad would soon start to wonder where he had gone to.

Last thing he wanted was for the older halfa to randomly find him in the master bedroom...

‘Well… doing stupid things is kinda my trade mark…’ He thought as he placed the neon-green wrapped rectangular gift box on the nightstand and left the bedroom, and floated in the air, scanning the room for the last time as his core fluttered.

Then, phased through the ceiling and flew off quickly.

Though, as he flew into the night, he didn’t quite feel completely alone. 

Lifting a hand, he gently touched the surface of his chest where his core lay, feeling the lingering heat that still coursed through his core and veins still made his body tingle with a comforting sensation that made a small fond smile grace his lips. 

:::::::::::::::::::::

Flipping through the papers, Vlad gave a pause when he felt the presence of a ghost, but when his core pulsed, he gave a soft sigh, rubbing at his chest slowly as he figured it was still Daniel. He closed his eyes, focusing on the comforting signature and unintentionally sending a pulse in that direction, smiling softly. Sighing wistfully, Vlad focused back on his work and only stopped when Maddie mewled at him, getting onto his lap with another mewl, then deep purr as she curled into a comfortable ball. Chuckling, Vlad gently scratched behind her ears and let his fingers be nuzzled against, then given a few licks. 

“I love you too, dear.” Vlad smiled at the ball of fluff on his lap, before turning another page in his endless documents.

It wasn’t until a few moments later when he felt Daniel leave did Vlad frown a bit to himself, his core starting to constrict and ache in dismay. Maddie must have noticed the disappointment on her owner's face, because the sweet cat gave his hand a nudge, purring against his hand as if to tell him it was okay. 

“Meow?” She purred, giving another nudge that had Vlad smirking. He responded by scratching her chin and neck, feeling the vibrations of her purring as the ball of fur melted into his hands, eyes drooped in bliss. She stayed like that for a long time, on the edge of sleep when there was a shift that had her coo, trying to curl closer in on herself to fight off the need to wake up. Snorting, Vlad slowly picked up the cat, holding her in both his arms. 

“Spoiled.” He mumbled at her, carrying the tired cat into his bedroom and placing her on her extra soft cat bed. She rarely stayed on there, opting to climb on him during the middle of the night and make herself comfy on his broad chest. This time, she merely mewled at him and stretched a bit and flopped on her specialized bed, purring again.

Vlad was about to get ready for bed when he noticed a gift-wrapped box resting on the edge of his nightstand, looking to be recently placed there. Making his way to it, he touched the small box and gave a soft sigh in instant relief when the box ghost didn’t burst forth. (That had happened one time too many, and like all times, the blue menace had been blasted from his mansion and straight into the ghost zone.) Of course, whenever the ghost saw him, the specter was quick to fly in another direction, afraid of what he might do. 

Pushing the thoughts aside, Vlad felt his core give a powerful pulse to the neon box, needing to be closer to whatever was inside. Hell, the color even made him think of a certain pair of glowing eyes, ones that made him alight with warmth. He was about to open it when he noticed a note placed on the side, almost having forgotten about it. His long fingers graciously take the paper, peering at the words scrawled across.  
  
“It’s not much, but I thought I would give you this to commemorate our truce agreement.” Core giving another lurch, Vlad shakily placed the paper to the side, smoothing it to get rid of any crinkles that might have formed. 

With expert care that surprises even him, he opens the gift-wrap, making sure to not tear the neon green paper. His finger absentmindedly stroke the silky paper, before placing it on his bed and slowly opening the box. 

What was on the inside makes him gasp, all of the air sucked straight from his lungs within seconds. His core gives a hard pulse as he lifts up the framed photo with slightly shaky fingers, afraid that he will break the priceless present.

What truly takes his breath away is all the intricate detail Daniel put into the creation of the frame, his core singing when he touches it, feeling as if the other halfa is there with him. It’s at that moment he realizes that Daniel had mixed his ice powers with that of his ectoenergy, ensuring that the gift would be unable to melt. (Which was quite a relief, considering his own core.)

Vlad can’t tear his gaze away from the picture, his finger gently caressing the image of Daniel, wishing it was his cheek he was caressing. What makes it better though, is that he can feel his energy with it, so in a way, he is caressing him. Indirectly, of course, but he could care less. 

“Meow?” Maddie wasn’t looking at the frame, but at Vlad with worry, leaning up to lick at his cheek. Startled by the sudden movement, the billionaire touched his cheek, freezing when he felt a wetness against his fingertips. 

Had he been crying? 

If the way his cat was looking at him with worry, or the two wet streaks on his cheeks were anything to go by, then yes. He had been crying. 

Vlad couldn’t remember the last time anyone had given him something so…thoughtful. This was the first gift in many years that managed to warm him to his very core, that made his heart soar and eyes fill with happy tears. Smiling, he let his eyes roam over the picture, the image in his hands made his core warm up with…

Love.

There was no denying that, was there?

But he was too tired to deal with those implications tonight and carefully placed the framed photo on the nightstand beside his bed, turning it to face him. 

He needed to make Daniel understand how much the gift meant to him. With plans to make the teenager the best fucking cookies next time, Vlad got his phone out and hesitated for a moment, before starting a text. 

Thank you for the gift, Daniel. I must admit to being impressed with how you’ve already managed to master your ice powers at your age. It’s beautiful. Vlad paused for a moment, debating if he should add more or not. “Sleep well, little badger.” Pressing send, he turned off his phone and got ready for bed.

For the first time in a long time, Vlad felt a certain lightness in his chest.


	6. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uploading two chapters today, cause it doesn't break well and it would be insanely long chapter otherwise. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

  
*Beep, beeep, beeeep, beeee-* Danny slammed his hand atop of the annoying device that dared wake him this early in the morning, hand dropping from the night stand and drooping on the opposite side of the bed, as comfortable silence was once again restored.

*Beep, Beep, beeeep, beeeeep, bee-* Once again, his hand slammed on the poor alarm, effectively silencing the device, this time a little more out of his sleep. 

*Riinnng, Ring Riinnnng* This time, it was his phone alarm, and that was not so easily silenced. 

“Uuummm….” Sitting up, eyes still closed and messy hair, he clumsily grabbed the phone, silencing the alarm. He gave a long stretch, his nightshirt rose, showing just a little midriff as he gave a tired yawn. 

Mornings were never really allies to the poor young halfa.

Rubbing his eyes, he glanced at his screen, noticing that he had an unread text. 

His curiosity was peaked. Tucker wouldn’t be caught dead waking up no earlier than one hour before the start of class and Sam rarely texted him this early, though she usually woke up earliest of the three.

Maybe it was Jazz?

Curious, he clicked on the text messages, noting that it was from a number he had not placed contact information before. He immediately suspected spam until he started to actually read the message, his eyes widening as his grogginess almost quickly disappeared.

“Vlad?”

His cheeks tinted with a slight blush, somehow reading the words in the man’s voice as if he was right there with him. And how he said his name, Daniel. How his baritone voice somehow smoothed his given name, slithering like honey over the man’s tongue.

No one ever called him that. And somehow, now he only wanted that name to only come from that voice that always sent shivers down his spine.

He shook himself from his taboo thoughts and refocused on the actual message on the screen. 

His blush deepened as he continued to read. ‘He… he actually liked the gift…” Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and his heart did a few delighted flips, his core joining in on the excitement as his face broke out in a wide grin, overjoyed at the halfa’s praise of his work. 

Also feeling a different excitement he rather not discuss at the moment.

He texted a reply immediately. *No probs!* Then debated if he should say anything more. What more was there to say? Maybe start with a good morning, maybe? Nah. Maybe ask him how his morning was? Tell the man to have a nice day? Say he will see him later?

Fuck, he really needed to stop overthinking this...

He decided on leaving it on just *No probs!* and hit the send button, making sure to save the number as his smile turned into a mischievous grin; ‘The Frootloop’. 

And it seemed Vlad had not minded at all that he had left the gift in his bedroom for him to find!

With a smile he could not contain, he hopped off of the bed, his core singing as he bounded towards the bathroom with his clothes.

Humming a merry tune he removed his morning clothes and entered the shower. A part of his mind asked when the hell did he humm so cheerily during the early morning, but he pushed it aside. Nothing could kill his mood now.

Ohh… the warm water felt so nice against his skin. But, it just was not hot enough.

He turned the knob to warmer, feeling as the water temperature climb as it cascaded down his bare skin.

But, it still was not warm enough.

He turned the faucet to its hottest setting and let out a humm of appreciation at the climb in temperature. Steam rising in the shower, his sensitive skin seeming to take in all of the warmth it could get.

And yet, it was nowhere near enough!

His core pulsed in protest, wanting-no… needing a heat that would just not come.

A warmth that only… he startled in realization. Only one man could provide…

He bit his lower lip hard, feeling heat pool to a very specific area, his heart pounding hard.

Running a hand through his wet midnight hair, he couldn’t help but picture another’s hand brushing his black strands back, maybe this time a little rougher than previous touches. 

‘Ok.. I need to stop this. This isn’t right…’

But then, why did it feel right? Thinking about those long, gentle digits as it threaded through his hair, nails gently scraping his scalp as they slid down to his sensitive neck-

“Fuck me!” He yelled in aggravation, then suddenly paled as his eyes glanced to the bathroom door out of fear that one of his parent’s might have heard his outcry.

Then he suddenly remembered that they had a ghost conference early in the morning and were not home, sighing in relief. 

Looking down, he saw that his ‘friend’ was quite active, and did not look like ‘he’ would settle anytime soon. 

‘Well. Better get this over with…’ After all, he had school to go to.

He leaned his forehead against the bathroom tiles as he let the water fall against his pale skin, flushed with the high temperature. 

His tongue slipped across his moist lips as his hand slid across his chest, using the slick moist water to glide across his skin delightfully. Yes, he loved to be touched.

He imagined his usual fantasy, a cute and beautiful black-haired girl, who generously touched his alabaster skin eagerly with a liscensuous smile.

But… something was off this time.

The hands were too… small. Larger hands would definitely cover more of his sensitive skin. Yes… and too soft of hands wouldn’t cause enough stimulation. “Ummm…” Large and soft hands, yet with a rough touch, gliding over his chest, his abs... 

He imagined the sensual words his fantasy usually said. “You like that, Danny?”

No. 

The voice was too… pitchy. Not as pleasant on the ears.

Deeper. The voice needed to be deeper. It needed to wrap around his soul and command his body. Soft as silk, yet deep and sensual… Oh, yeah… that would be nice~

“Ahhh…” And that large hand, that large soft hand grazes his hardened length. Just graze, because his fantasy was mischievous, loving to tease his sensitive flesh…

And that voice, that deep sensual voice calling him Danny- no. Not Danny.

Daniel.

Yes… That name rolls off the tongue so easily and passionately, almost worshipping him as his hips begin to move impatiently. God he needed that touch.

“Umm..” There it was again, the slight gracing of his length as those hands glided across his moist skin, between his legs, his abdomen… leaving no area untouched.

And the fire in that touch. The sheer heat emanating from those hands. Those hands that he needed on him soo badly- 

“AAaahhh!!” He let out a cry as that warm hand wrapped around his hardened member, squeezing, pulsing almost in tune to his ice core and heartbeat.

It was getting hard to breathe. Steam filled the room as perspiration lined his skin even as it was being washed away by the hot water flowing on down his flesh.

Daniel

He bit his lower lip hard as the hand that squeezed him would tease, tease him soo badly because the man was such an asshole and would not just let him come so quic-

Wait a minute…

His eyes snapped open as he suddenly realized that somewhere along the way, his ‘fantasy girl’ had not only turned into a ‘fantasy guy’, but a specific one at that.

He gently knocked his head against the tiles once. ‘Seriously?’ 

There was really no way to deny it any more. In his mind, the person with long drenched hair who kneeled in front of him, naked in all glory with an evil glint in sapphire eyes, lips oh so close to his aching length- 

...was none other that Vlad fucking Masters. 

Danny gave a pitiful wine, too far gone to really object to the ‘wrongness’ of his imagination.

His sky-blue eyes glanced towards the glass door, almost afraid that someone was watching and somehow knew exactly what his crazed mind was imagining. 

“Ahhh…” His attention returned to the smirking man in front of him, a mischievous gleam in those devilish calculating eyes as the man’s ‘hand’ squeezed his length again. Vlad Masters would not be ignored. The man would never allow it. 

“Fffuuuck…!” His head fell back as his hand began to move, fantasy Vlad’s mouth having engulfed him whole and leaving no room untouched.

Because Vlad never did anything half-assed.

His other hand left the shower tile, sliding across his skin sensually. 

Daniel…

Oh… the way the man said his name… as if he was the only gem in the entire world.

He was nearing a fever pitch, the man so expertly tending to his every need, a large rough hand sliding down his side, down his ass…

“Oh ahh ahh!” His body shivered as a finger grazed the sensitive nerve ending of his virgin hole, his knees bending as if they could no longer hold his weight under the onslaught of the man’s expert ministrations on his defenseless body.

You are doing so well Daniel… So beautiful.

His body twitched with the man’s praise raining down on him like fire, leaving him gasping for more as his hips moved in time with that expert mouth so tightly around him.

Daniel. 

“AAaaaahhhh!”

He came with a force he had not felt before, knees buckling as his body shook violently, his vision momentarily focused on that devilishly handsome face and fangs…

Gasping for breath, Danny just kneeled on the shower floor, trying to catch his breath as his pounding heart began it’s slow beat back to normal, his body feeling as though he had flown a marathon while using his ghostly wail simultaneously.

Though, his gasp of pleasure could have been similar to a wail… He thought with a deep blush, biting his lip and vowing to never cry out like that ever again. Oh so grateful that no one was in the house at the moment.

As his breathing evened, his mind started working through what had just happened.

He had… had actually come while thinking of Vlad…

What the hell does he do with that knowledge?!

Apparently, he was sexually attracted to a 40-something-year old male. 

He covered his face in shame. A man who is not only the age of your parents, but an old college friend of your parents.

And to add icing on the cake, his ex-friking-nemesis! Whom he had only recently begun a truce with and whatever their mentor-mentee relationship was right now. 

What the hell would Vlad think about this attraction of his?

Hell, he wasn’t fully sure what he himself thought about it…

He groaned in despair. “Nothing in my life is easy, is it?” 

No. He couldn’t just like girls his age like a normal guy cause nothing in his fucking life was normal!

With a deep sigh, he resolved to finish his shower, resigning himself that he would indeed be late to class today.

::::::::::::::::::

Early mornings were a common occurrence for Vlad, especially when he was expected to be at a meeting around seven-thirty in the morning. He had found early in his ghost powers that his ghost half helped him in regard to normal human functions, such as eating or sleeping. The billionaire had quickly learned that instead of the normal seven to eight hours of sleep, he only needed roughly three or four to function on their levels. 

He had discovered this perk quickly, even going as far as to calculate how long he could go without sleep before crashing. His results had been about a week to a week and a half before he became too exhausted and passed out. 

It had always been exciting to discover something new about his powers and their limitations. 

Which was ironic now, seeing that he was using his lack of needed sleep to get through the horrendous meeting. Most of the executives were reporting to him and explaining how these changes could benefit him as a Mayor. He listened to them, giving advice when needed, or even giving truthful input and telling them their idea wasn’t fleshed out enough. 

Another thing that was helping him get through the day was seeing Daniel tonight, the urge to thank him for the beautiful gift coursing through his red-hot veins. Baking cookies didn’t feel adequate enough now, but there wasn’t much else he could do. He wanted it to be special, and it could be said that cooking something for someone important to you was on that level of thoughtfulness. From what Daniel had told him the other night, he loved cookies, so hopefully, his homemade double chocolate chips would be to Daniel’s liking. After all, Vlad personally thought they tasted even better than his brownies.

Not wanting to lose focus, Vlad forces himself to continue to pay attention and offer his own words until the meeting is adjourned, sighing softly when most of the executives and the CEO’s start to filter out and vanish.

“These meetings always take forever.” One of his assistants said, a grimace on his face. “I thought it would never end.” The man looked to be in his early to mid-thirties, with short brown hair that swooped neatly to the side. 

“You get used to them,” Vlad commented as he got up, glancing at his phone to check the time and pausing when he noticed the text message from Daniel. He smiled at the short response, already imagining the embarrassed flush on those pale cheeks. 

“I don’t see how,” The guy joked, sliding a stack of papers in a folder in his direction. “Cynthia had a family matter to take care of today. She wanted to ensure that you got these for the meeting next week.” Withholding a grimace at the stack of thick papers, he gave a sigh of relief at knowing the meeting wasn’t until next week, which gave him time to relax instead of reading paper after paper. 

“Thank you,” Vlad mumbled, pocketing the papers and watching with a raised eyebrow as another stack of papers was passed to him. 

“She also wants you to take a look at these.” He informed, a small smile on his face. “It’s for your speech about declining to run for another term.” Unable to stop the grimace, Vlad took the papers as well with a deep sigh. “This city is going to miss you.” 

“I’ll still be around.” Vlad spoke up with a small smirk. “However, I think I’m done with politics for now.” The halfa admits, no longer feeling the same way about power. Political positions had power, but truthfully, the only reason he became mayor in the first place was to mess with Daniel back then. 

And he had only been antagonistic to the teenager for two of those years. Something had changed within him two years ago, and maybe it was the fact that he had never really been out to hurt Daniel, but even the thought of starting a fight with the other back then had bothered him.

Not only that, but he had quickly realized that he didn’t desire Maddie in the way he thought he had, and after hours of pondering, had come to the conclusion that had used his once close friend as a way to ignore his true feelings. Instead of wanting to admit his attraction to the same gender, he had been in denial and not only used Maddie as a way to repress those emotions, but had also incorrectly developed a false fantasy around her. 

He had been so lonely and wanted a family, and seeing that those values had been instilled in him from his parents, he had associated Maddie in the role of “loving wife and mom” something he only realized two years ago was not a viable thing for him. 

Vlad had no issue with who he was now, but back then, it was safe to say he had tried to use Maddie as a way to ignore the truth. 

Shaking his head from those thoughts, Vlad grabs everything he needs and starts to head back to his mansion, choosing to focus instead on the recipe he was going to use tonight. 

“Meow?” His darling cat was happy to see him, running up to him and rubbing against his leg slowly, purring happily. She nuzzled into the hand that was petting her, pulling away to go back into her corner and curl up into a ball as she peered out the window. 

“I know you’re staring at the bird, Maddie.” Vlad commented, taking off his suit jacket. “For a cat, you’re not very sneaky.” He smirked at her, watching the way her tail twitched back and forth. Shaking his head, he headed into his room and changed clothes, wanting to wear something more comfortable.

Tonight, he donned a solid black training shirt that fit nicely on him, showing off his broad shoulders and chest. His pants were similar to the ones he wore the other times, but instead of the normal black, they were a dark gray in color, which made his silver hair more noticeable. 

Not feeling too hungry, Vlad headed into the kitchen and got started on cooking a light meal, which consisted of grilled chicken and some vegetables on the side. 

After that, he headed into the study and looked over some documents, for the next few hours, cursing when he realized how late it was. It was now ten past ten, and he hadn’t even started on the cookies. 

“Butter biscuits,” Vlad mumbled, quickly getting up and leaving the papers on his desk. Not bothering to tighten it up, the man set to work, needing to make the best cookies he could make, needing them to be perfect for the other halfa. 

In all honesty, nothing could compare to the gift Daniel gave him, but he wanted to try the best he could. 

He made sure to roll each ball evenly, to sprinkle the same amount of sugar on each one, and to add a few other chocolate chips for decoration (and taste).

  
:::::::::::::::::::::10:45pm::::::::::::::::::::

  
Phantom threw the ball once more, watching as the green ghost pup dashed eagerly to get the object with a lot of excitement, barking happily. 

But his mind was on something else entirely…

Back to the sensuous look of his fantasy Vlad, how he actually came to thoughts about what the older, more experienced male could do to him…

He sighed, but was broken from his thoughts by a whine.

Opening his eyes, he saw Cujo look at him with an adorably cute tilt to his head, clearly worried about him.

Danny couldn’t help but smile at his caring puppy, petting the canine behind the ears. “I’m okay, Cujo. I’m just a little… distracted, is all…”

Another wine. “Rufff, ruff rufff!” The dog panted while staring at him, clearly trying to convey a message as the pup pointedly looked up, gesturing towards the sky.

Danny sighed, offering a small smile. “Yeah, you’re right… I can’t keep running from my problems, now can’t I?”

He was met with enthusiastic barking and tail wagging, the pup even giving a short twirl in excitement. 

He chuckled and with one last pat on the head, he rose from the ground, dusting off his backside from the dirt. “Okay, then.” He grabbed his phone from his chest and phased the phone into Cujo, like he did the prior nights he went to visit Vlad.

“You know what to do. I’m counting on you as always!”

“Ruff ruff!” Cujo sat at attention, black ears stood straight and he stopped panting for the briefest of seconds. Then dashed off into the night. 

Danny sighed as he looked up at the large tower clock in the distance. *10:55pm*

‘Well… I’m only going to be a little over half an hour late…” He winced.

With lightning speed, he turned and flew to Master’s Manor.

Once on the property, he flew to the door, not bothering to transform to human in his haste and rang the doorbell. His core pulsing million miles an hour in both anticipation and dread of facing the man. Hoping in all hell that the older halfa was not too angry at him for being late.

And praying to every deity in the universe that he would have the courage to look the man in the eyes after that happened...

… he was soo screwed...


	7. The Closer We Get

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

All in all, it took Vlad about twenty minutes to roll each ball evenly, to sprinkle the same amount of sugar on each one, and to add a few other chocolate chips, and it took another fifteen to bake them. 

Vlad had just set them out to cool when his doorbell was rung, signaling the other halfa was here. 

Shivering as he felt the presence of Phantom, Vlad bit his lips, fighting off the need to transform as well. The closer he got, the more difficult it became, but he wasn’t ready to deal with his own needy core. 

Phantom waited with baited breath as he felt that warm core approach, nerves flaring and core shuddering in anticipation.

‘Okay… I can totally do this. Vlad has no idea that something weird happened and as long as I play it cool, he won’t be the wiser.’ He put on a serious face and steeled his will, determined to not look away once the billionaire opened the door.

Only to falter when the older halfa actually opened the door.

“Hello, Daniel.” He couldn’t help but smile softly at him, core shuddering with happiness at their proximity. “The cookies just finished baking. I thought you might enjoy something different tonight.” He smirked, letting the other into his home. 

Seeing Vlad in that tight fitting black training shirt that seemed to highlight the toned muscular chest and abs underneath made his thoughts remember his little… adventure in the shower this morning, and a part of him wondered if the real Vlad looked similar to his imagined one with no clothes.

Phantom coughed in his hand, quickly pushing that thought away and trying to hide a rising green blush at his inappropriate thoughts. 

His ice core gave a cold flair in Vlad’s direction, as if in greeting and joy at being so near to the older halfa. This time being quite aware of the audacity of his core, Danny’s cheeks flushed further, half mortified, he immediately transformed back to human, powering down his core to even lower levels while he was at it, praying that the elder halfa hadn’t noticed that slip.

He was very relieved that the elder halfa was not in his ghost form, as his core’s reaction would have been more intense. He already had difficulty managing his core’s excitement when he entered Plasmius’ territory as it was.

Danny’s mind latched on to the word ‘cookies’, focusing hard to move his attention to something distracting that was not the man before him. Which, to be honest, wasn’t that hard because fuuuck, that man seemed to be a master in the kitchen, no pun intended. 

He rose his gaze once more and his core nearly melted seeing that smile on the billionaire’s face. Swallowing, the teen chuckled nervously, not quite sure what to make of the strange feelings that were coming up at seeing that expression from the man. “Hehehe… If you keep feeding me everytime I come over I’m going to get fat, frootloop.” He joked, knowing full well that his ghost metabolism would make that very difficult. Hell, it meant he did have to eat more to keep up with his increased metabolism. 

::::::::::::

Vlad had to bite his lips hard into order to stop the sigh of pleasure that threatened to escape the moment the ice core pulsed in his direction, his own core beginning to warm up in response. The ice washed over him, practically entering his body and offering a refreshing breeze that caused a small shiver to escape his broad frame. He took a deep breath, needing more of the coldness to swirl around him and invade his senses, his eyes almost dropping shut. 

Instead, he flushed darkly, his core giving a small throb in response and the billionaire was thankful that he wasn’t in his ghost form, otherwise the flair would have lingered in the room all night. He could feel the fire in his chest igniting more, the ice fanning the flames instead of snuffing the growing inferno. That thought was short-lived, however. As soon as he let his guard down, his core gave a deep pulse towards Daniel in response, needing to be closer and warm the cold halfa. 

Fucking fudge buckets, this was not good. If his core was getting hard to contain in his human form, he could only imagine what it would do when transforming into Plasmius. Or better yet, if Daniel transformed into Phantom and their ghost cores came into contact-

Which was inherently an intimate action in itself, or so he had read. The Ghost Writer’s library had proven to be quite useful over the years and he had gained a lot of information from that one location regarding the ghost zone and their physiology. 

There were books on all the different cores and the compatibility between them…such as the way they would pulse when in proximity to a compatible core. 

He only allowed himself to linger on those provocative thoughts for a few more moments, pulled from his stupor by Daniel making a joke. Vlad snorted and glanced at the teenager, who had certainly taken after Maddie more in relation to his frame.

“I can always prepare alternative options, if you prefer.” Vlad teased back, a small smirk on his lips. “Such as oatmeal or raisin cookies,” He offered, figuring the other halfa wouldn’t care much for those ‘healthy’ alternatives. 

“I don’t mind too much oatmeal or raisin cookies.” Danny informed with a smirk. “But.” And his face turned serious. “You try to feed me some sort of ultra-recycle vegie cookie or something or rather, and I’m going to recycle you into the next dimension.” He warned with glare, remembering once trying one of Sam’s sweets and immediately regretting it. 

Vlad had no idea what on Earth an ultra-recycle veggie cookie was but he had no plans on ever finding out. Even the name of the supposed cookie sounded horrible and completely inedible, though, considering Daniel’s friends, he wasn’t too surprised the teenager had been roped into trying such a thing. It reminded him of something the…goth (At least, he thought it was goth) girl would eat. 

"Well, I do believe you will enjoy the cookies I made tonight. I made them specifically for you," Vlad teased with another smirk.

Danny’s cheeks tinted red, his heart and core warming at those words and he looked away in embarrassment, seeming to look at something in the hallway as he entered the mansion. “Well if that’s the case, I guess I have no choice but to indulge.” He said in jest, obviously pretending that it was a bother. “After all, I can’t let delicious food go to waste. That would not be indicative of proper hero etiquette.” He tossed in the word ‘indicative’ to try and impress the billionaire with his increased vocabulary. 

Hearing Daniel praise his cooking and call it delicious made his smirk soften and turn into a genuine smile, the compliment no longer stroking his ego, but wrapping around his core. While Vlad knew he had a talent when it came to cooking and baking, it only seemed to matter when Daniel found it delicious. He could care less what other people thought, but the opinion of the teenager meant more to him. 

White fur at his feet caught Danny’s attention and he smiled at the cat that excitedly rubbed against his legs in greeting. “Hey girl~” He cooed as he crouched down to caress the loving feline. “Been good lately?” He pulled out the usual treats he brought. “Make sure to destroy some more of your master’s ugly decor?” He joked with a smirk.

Vlad had to force himself to look away from Daniel as the younger halfa started to gently caress his darling cat, lavishing her with attention and sweet words. Had he continued to stare, he would have embarrassed himself by watching Daniel with such a fond look on his face. It would have been unbecoming of someone who used to torment people for a living, or along those lines. 

He wondered how the other would handle the fact that he had really started going soft for the most part. 

Deciding not to question it, Vlad felt himself flush darkly as his core gave a pleased pulse in Daniel’s direction. 

Despite realizing that his core was sending small pulses of heat to the younger halfa, Vlad didn’t bother trying to conceal it anymore, growing too tired of keeping his core enclosed. If they were to be training tonight, it wouldn’t be wise for him to use all of his energy in ensuring that his core does not continuously offer warmth. While he would try and reign it in, he found that it was getting too tiresome to completely shut his core out. 

Danny closed his eyes and the hand stopped caressing the white fur, gasping a little as a comfortingly pleasurable warmth filled him, his own core sparking with delight. 

Flushing slightly, he resumed petting Maddie as he tried to pretend nothing happened, imagining that the older halfa might be having similar core troubles as him. 

Maybe he should ask Vlad if he knew what that was about?

Ok. He quickly threw that idea out the window. Somehow these weird sensations felt too… intimate… Much too embarrassing to ask about. He had no frame of reference as the only other ghost he had come into contact with since the strangeness began was Cujo, and the ghost pup was a lower level ghost who has not mastered speech yet so maybe it was different? 

Also, what if this was some sort of advanced ghost energy scanning and he was the only freak who actually felt this kind of strange about it? Vlad would never let him live it down!

He really needed to try and visit Clockwork again sometime…

His thought was interrupted when he noticed the slight scent of the cookies, and he lifted his head, closing his eyes as he sniffed at the wonderful aroma. 

Wow. It’s been sooo many years since the last time he had smelled delicious home baked cookies…

The scent brought him back to when he was a small child, similar aroma permeating the air as the tiny him stood eagerly beside the one who made such deliciousness in the old Fenton home.

Grandma Fenton always had delicious cookies ready for when they would visit, her house filled with the sweet scent of freshly cooked dough and chocolate that would always greet him at the entrance. He had always looked forward to visiting his grandmother. She had been a genuinely kind old woman who had always spoiled him. Her smile had always cheered him up and her amazing cookies always seemed to make everything right.

He kinda got his cookie addiction from her delicious home baked cookies, but no cookie ever compared to the freshly baked ones she made, so fudge had replaced it as his favorite baked good. The last time he had tasted that perfection was a week before her death, back when he was seven years old.

Inhaling deeply, he gave a wistful sigh, feeling excited to try such a treat. “Mmmmmm…. Yep. Your dad is definitely trying to entice me to stay here forever.”

Knowing that Daniel meant that as a joke did nothing to help the warmth that was seeping past him and to the younger halfa, his heart racing in hopes that it wouldn’t bother him. 

“Had I known all I needed to do was bake you cookies and fudge, I would have done so long ago.” Vlad tried to tease, but the words came out deep, almost as if he were purring them. He quickly cleared his throat, speaking up again in haste. “We’ll see if you like them. I haven’t made cookies in a few years.” Vlad needed to change the subject, praying that Daniel hadn’t caught onto the slight flirting.

Danny genuinely laughed at Vlad’s joke, gaze going a little soft as he looked back up at the elder halfa with slight mischief. “Well, I’ve always heard that the dark side had cookies. And I have to say, if they taste as good as they smell, I think I’m enlisting.” He said in jest, not catching on to the flirty tone. (His friends did not give him the nickname Clueless1 for no reason). 

“And you’re in luck!” He continued, winking and rising from the floor. A finger pointed at himself. “I am the world renowned expert cookie judge! And today, you get my expert opinion for the low, low price of a few cookies.” He finished as he walked towards the main kitchen, following the delicious scent towards sweet goodness with an uncontained bounce to his step. 

His pace grew quicker as he approached the kitchen, and he was almost half-jogging when he entered the room, grinning widely, eyes sparkling as he saw the pan on the counter with the baked treats. 

His inner child coming out, he excitedly jogged to the counter. The smell really brought him back to his childhood and happy place. 

“Oh?” Vlad’s interest peaked when Daniel mentioned being a ‘world-renowned expert cookie judge’, a soft smirk on his face. “If that’s the case, I hope my cookies live up to your legendary expectations.” Vlad joked, his core giving another happy pulse as he witnessed the way the younger halfa reacted, almost…childlike. 

For some reason, seeing Daniel like this made his chest expand with pleasure. The billionaire doubted many people had the opportunity to see the teenager react like this to certain things, which had to indicate not only a level of trust between them, but a level of relaxation on Daniel’s part. 

Daniel was potentially becoming comfortable around him, and that suddenly made Vlad feel innumerable measures of guilt start building up. 

Here he was, a man that was twice Daniel’s age, who had been best friends with his parents in college, baking him cookies and flirting with him (unknowingly sometimes). While the younger halfa was legally an adult now, it didn’t do much for his conscience. He was still twice as old as Daniel, hell, he was old enough to be his father.

Yet, despite knowing all of this, why did his feelings stay the same? Why did questioning these things never make him back off or change his emotions?

Was this something that was bound to happen? They were the only two people in existence that could understand each other to the level they did. It felt as if they were missing puzzle pieces coming together to complete some otherworldly design. 

Enough. Vlad thinks, focusing on Daniel instead. I can’t keep questioning these emotions when I know they won’t change. It just creates an endless cycle that leads nowhere.

Unable to wait, Danny had quickly grabbed a cookie and animatedly took a bite.

The teen closed his eyes, going completely silent and still.

Watching the reaction, Vlad hesitates for a moment, worried that the cookies weren’t any good. 

“Uh…are they to your liking, Daniel?” Vlad hesitantly inquired, moving a little closer so he could get a look at his reaction, worried when the other had remained silent.

Danny had a peaceful expression on his face as wonderful flavors danced on his tongue, the fresh dough baked to near perfection, outer layer firm, while the inside was soft and chewy, freshly pulled out of the oven and warmed his mouth delightfully as chocolate chocolate chips melted in his mouth.

Accompanying that mouth watering delight was the constant flow of toasty warmth, like a soft and cozy blanket on a snowy day, enveloping him so gently and flowing into his buzzing cold core. The feeling balancing his icy cold in his veins. Right here, right now, he felt blissful. Safe. Protected.

Home. 

How odd, that of all places to feel safe, comfortable, and at peace would be at his ex-nemesis home?

He swallowed a lump in his throat.

It had been years since he had felt this way…

That accident, the one that had changed his life forever, had brought him power beyond what he could have imagined.

But at a cost. 

There was never a time where he could truly relax. At any moment, a ghost could attack. He needed to be hypervigilant to any threat. So many ghosts knew of him and his human identity, so even as Fenton he was not safe. 

Hell, he was not even safe in his own home.

At any moment, his own parents could kill him. 

If he let up his guard at any moment, they could find out his secret. And do what they always professed; tear him molecule by molecule.

To them, Phantom was an atrocity. A dangerous monster that needed to be put down. 

If they knew, would they think his true, complete self to be an abomination? 

Regardless, there had been nowhere he was safe. Felt safe.

Until this very moment.

The man that stood near him knew him. Knew of his Phantom side. Hell, the man obviously tully knew what he was going through, being a halfa as well.

And the way the older halfa had been treating him lately. The kindness, the humour, actually wanting to spend time with him…

It not only made his core buzz with delight, but also made his heart warm.

The only comparison to this, was the comfort and safety and… love? He felt in his grandmother’s presence. A feeling he had not felt since he was seven years old.

This moment. Was a treasure that he would carry to the grave.

If it hadn’t been for the serene expression, Vlad would have begun to worry more at the lack of response, but there was something about the facial expression that stopped him from asking any more questions. It felt as if this was a moment to be preserved in time and for Daniel to enjoy the silence. He wasn’t sure what strange emotion was filling the air in the room, but it seemed to be crucial to the younger. 

He could swear that there was a level of nostalgia that was emanating from all of Daniel’s pores, even his core looked to be pulsing in a similar way. His dark blue eyes observe any expression that the younger might have given away, wanting to know the thoughts that were flying through his head. 

His own core had quieted down, pausing in its pulsing as Daniel stays there, oblivious to his staring. Vlad feels at ease like this, content to watch as Daniel returns from whatever daydream or thoughts had occupied his time. 

Danny slowly opened his eyes, turning his contented gaze towards Vlad, looking at the older halfa with a gentle expression, a soft smile on his lips. “They are incredible, Vlad.” He turned to look back at the cookies sitting in the pan. “It has been a long time since I’ve tasted such delicious homemade cookies.” 

His smile widened a little, his eyes taking a little hint of sadness. “My grandma used to make me cookies when I was a child. Happiest memories of my childhood.” He shared this very intimate detail with a soft tone.

Then, he looked down a little sheepishly, his smile and face softening as a light blush tinted his cheeks, he next words barely a whisper “...Thanks.”

Then, suddenly becoming ashamed about his over-expression of emotion in front of the older halfa, he coughed into his fist, quickly interjecting the brief silence. “W-we should plate these cookies before they cool down too much.” He stated as he moved to grab two plates from the cupboard, embarrassed as hell and unable to look at the billionaire. 

:::::::::

This time, Vlad’s core flares back to life when a soft smile is aimed at him, the gentleness behind those eyes taking his breath away. Hearing how much the other adores his cookies makes his core purr as it sends a direct pulse towards Daniel’s own. Vlad’s face flushes at realizing how…intimate that had been, but he doesn’t dare bring it up when his little badger starts to tell him something that few, if any, probably know. 

The slight sadness behind those icy blue eyes breaks his heart, his core sending a wave of warmth to comfort him as he moves closer, placing a hand on the small of his back. 

When was the first time that Daniel had displayed such raw emotion towards him like this? This was clearly something that meant the world to the other, so Vlad offered a small smile as his thumb carefully stroked the small of his back, caressing him through his shirt.

The hand behind Danny’s back helped to reduce some of his embarrassment at having shown such raw emotion. The gentle circles from Vlad’s thumb reassuring that he hadn’t been stupid or childish to have said such things. And his heart warmed, his core answering that pulsing warmth with its own cool waves as a light blush tinted his cheeks. His blush deepened when he saw Vlad’s gentle smile and he averted his gaze once more, looking at the plate he had pulled out, but making no further movement. 

The atmosphere felt calm. Kind, yet fragile, and Danny took a moment to bask in it’s warmth, not really wanting this moment to end. 

“You don’t need to thank me, Daniel. I’m glad you liked them. It’s an honor to know they remind you of your grandmother’s.” Vlad smiled more, hoping his actions showed the extent of care he had to give. 

“While cookies weren’t one of my favorites growing up, my mother would occasionally bake Medovik, a Russian delicacy that her mother had taught her. She wanted to continue the tradition.” Vlad explained, reminiscing that part of his childhood. “She moved to America when she was a child, but she brought a lot of recipes with her…” Vlad trailed off, a sadness starting to creep in. 

“She passed away during the time I was in a coma from the accident.” He confessed, still slowly caressing the small of his back. He turned to give a small, sad smile to Daniel.

“I’m glad I was able to recreate that emotion for you, little badger, if only slightly.”

:::::::

Danny looked at the elder halfa with slight surprise when the man began to talk about his past. He had heard the halfa talk about his past before, but never about his family. Let alone his mother.

His gaze softened as he listened to the story, giving the other complete attention. Noticing how Vlad’s eyes saddened from the memory, the man also missed someone who was long lost to time. For the first time trully seeing the older man so… sad. Lonely.

Danny’s heart was breaking at the sight. 

And all but broke when he heard of the loss. 

Why?

Why did Vlad have to endure such suffering?

He had no idea. No idea of the depth of the pain this man had suffered in relation to that accident. He didn’t just lose a woman he was obsessed with.

He lost his own mother. 

And he didn’t even get to say goodbye…

His core sent comforting chills at the older hafa and Danny did not stop it. He even stood closer to the billionaire, needing to comfort the man and fuck, if the strangeness of his cores reactions could, then so be it.

He let his body fill with his cold energy, allowing it to fill the space between them and wrap the older halfa in comforting cold.

Hesitating for just a second, he bit his lower lip, then lifted his hand, gently placing it on top of that silky silver hair. Softly, he trailed the hand downwards, tenderly caressing that lovely hair that shone like moonlight. Carefully, attempting to provide the man as much comfort as he was able. To show that he very much cared. That he was there with him sharing his pain.

And that he would always be there.

::::::::::

Vlad could feel the gentle, chilling waves that Daniel was sending to him, his core fluttering at the sensations that were coursing through his body. Unable to help himself, he answered the pulse with his own, the urge for their cores to come into contact at the back of his mind. It wasn’t at the forefront like it usually would have been, and Vlad had to attribute it to the fact that the atmosphere of the room was different. 

He held back a gasp when the chill returned, this time wrapping around him like a cool blanket on a hot night. It reminded him of getting into bed, his silk sheets cool against his warm skin as the slight chill soothed his body. Better yet, it was like an ice-cold drink on a hot summer's day, the refreshing temperature of the drink chasing away the unbearable heat. 

Daniel’s core was like a drink, and Vlad could literally drown in it. 

Before Vlad can have his core wrap around Daniel in the same way, he pauses when a smaller hand finds its way onto his head, the fingers caressing his own hair. He flushes at the gentle sensation, trying to stop his core from pulsing again, but it slowly envelopes them, the warmth swirling around Daniel in a protective hold.

Shit, he had forgotten how nice it felt to have someone tenderly touch him like this. He absently leaned into the touch, not wanting to admit how touch starve he had been. It was a sad truth, though. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had dared to touch him in such a caring way. Hell, most of the time his interactions with people were a firm handshake, but it had been years since anyone touched his hair. 

Danny’s heart warmed, his face softening with a gentle smile as he felt Vlad lean into his touch. “She sounded wonderful.” 

Vlad was unaware of how relaxed he was until he realized his thumb had snuck under Daniel’s shirt, his thumb slowly trailing circles on the small of his back. Vlad’s core had warmed his fingers, the heat from his skin chasing away the coldness on the younger halfa’s skin.

Vlad knows he should pull his hand away, but he can’t force himself to move it, not wanting the moment to end so soon. It feels lasting and special, almost like pulling away would disrupt something important. 

He knows it can’t last too long, though. Not if he wants his feelings to remain hidden. 

“She was. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone quite like her. I hate to imagine what she would think of my…villainous days.” Vlad joked, but there was a semblance of truth behind those words, hating to think he would have disappointed her. He changes the subject after that, quick to bring up their training. 

“Did you want to focus on teleportation again?” Vlad asked, leaving his hand on Daniel’s back, feeling too good to pull away.

:::::::::::::::

Danny certainly noticed when the warm hand moved under his shirt, the heat warming his naturally chilled skin pleasantly.

He had to work hard in order to bite back a pleasurable hiss at the contact, as he continued focusing on comforting Vlad.

But oohhh… the touch felt soo nice… the gentle caress further relaxing him. His mind absentmindedly traveling the path of the soft warm touch. His core responded enthusiastically to the contact, chilling his own fingers in order to further stimulate Vlad’s scalp as his finger ran through that silvery soft hair. 

Danny was pulled out of his blissful state by Vlad’s ‘joke’, and his core gave a short tight pang at the unsaid pain behind those words. The regret and disappointment as evident as the stars in the night sky.

The teen clearly recognized the change in subject. Knowing that the older halfa probably also needed a breather from the heaviness of the previous topic, he followed along. “What? Didn’t I succeed at teleporting last time on the first lesson? Pfft. I’m essentially a master by now.” And threw in a joke to try and lightened the mood.

Vlad smirks as the other jokes about having ‘mastered’ the art of teleportation and hums, unable to stop himself from trailing his nail along the skin of his back again, being sure to remain gentle. 

“If you feel comfortable with it, then we can move onto something else.” Vlad teases, knowing they're both aware of how much more training Daniel needs to do regarding teleportation, but he decided to humor him, a small smile on his face. 

Vlad held back a shiver at the chill against his scalp, fighting hard to keep his eyes open and not melt into the pleasant touch. It was funny, in a way. He was the one with the fire core, but it was Daniel that was making him want to melt into his touch. He couldn’t help but wonder if his touch was having the same effect on the younger halfa, his other finger coming along to trace the ending of his spine with his nail. 

It was hard for Danny to concentrate on their conversation, that hand on his back was quite distracting. Especially how the nail trailed against his sensitive skin…

And it started to bring back some things he’d rather not remember, fighting to focus instead on the ‘innocence’ of the action that he was completely sure that the older halfa was unaware of. 

Even though he sorely wanted to, he made himself stop touching those silky strands, lowering his hand once more. Then he shrugged nonchalantly as he tried very much to ignore the hand on his back. “If you really insist, we can practice teleportation.”

“It’s all up to you, Daniel. Is there anything in particular you want to do?” Vlad asked, giving a final drag of his nail, knowing he needs to put a stop to it soon. 

Danny bit his lower lip, concentration very much faltering with the gentle scrape of the nail against his sensitive skin, trying and failing to hold back a slight shiver.

‘Is there anything in particular you want to do’

Holly fuck did that send the teen into totally dangerous territory and treacherous thoughts. 

Unbidden images of Vlad swiftly pulling him against his broad frame, wrapping one arm around his waist, a licentious smirk on that handsome face while that delightful finger traveled lower...

Oh… the older halfa could certainly show him teleportations as he took him to his room… on those soft, silky sheets...

He bit his lip hard, honestly not trusting his voice to respond as he literally bit back the pleasurable hiss that threatened to leave his lips. His mind running wild with what his libido really wanted to do.

Vlad knew he should stop his obsessive touching before it went too far, so he does. He regretfully pulls his hand away, lingering against the skin for a moment too long as he lets his hand rest against his side, feeling too warm now. 

All he wants to do is touch the other again, his fingers itching to trail along that chilly skin and heat it up. He stops himself from reaching forward again, biting his lips hard.

The hot hand moves aways and fuuucck, Danny is both relieved and disappointed. Had that hand stayed any longer and the teen might have given away just how good that felt…

His core already missed the warm touch, shooting out a cold pulse in protest and in an attempt to entice the warmth back. He quickly shut that down as quickly as he could, clearing his throat and pretending nothing happened. “Y-yeah. Let’s practice teleportation…”

Then turned around, grabbing another cookie. But first, we need to save these!” He took another bite as he searched for some containers, talking with his mouth half-full. “I’m going to take some home after our training.” 

::::::::::::::::::

Vlad can feel the electricity in the air, something crackling between them that makes him falter for the briefest of seconds, the sensation of a cold pulse surprising him. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt like the other halfa wanted him to continue the stroking. It certainly felt that way based on how desperate the cold pulse had been. He takes a breath, his own giving a pulse in response, deep of want. 

He lets it be, choosing at that moment to focus entirely on the aspect of training and what he could do to help the process of teleportation become easier this time. It was true that Daniel wasn’t the average student and would likely need a different approach to such things. As he imagines a few different scenarios, it was Daniel’s voice that caught his attention. 

Fuck, he had nearly forgotten about the cookies. They had shared a deep conversation and the cookies had quickly become less important, fading into the background as they shared that…intimate moment. 

“Feel free to take all of them, Daniel. These were for you after all.” Vlad smiles, using his powers to summon the containers, which collect the cookies on their own. The containers close and head into the refrigerator to wait until Daniel is ready to take them. 

Danny grinned, wonder shining in his ice-blue eyes as he watched as the containers filled themselves with the cookies almost all on their own while finishing his partially eaten one. His core gives a happy jolt, and his heart fills with warmth as he hears those words as he couldn’t hide the smile on his face. The cookies had been especially made for him, and that truly meant the world to him. 

“I can teach you how to do things like that one day,” Vlad smirks at him, knowing the other halfa had yet to advance to those power levels yet.

“You better.” Danny teases. Very much looking forward to the day that he could employ his ghostly powers to move stuff around so he could laze about.

Vlad transforms into Plasmius, his core giving another pulse in Daniel’s direction, this one stronger than the other. Vlad flushes in embarrassment, hoping the other halfa would think nothing of it. 

“Ready?” He questions.

Danny visibly shivers with the hot pulse in his direction, a pleasurable tingle coursing through his body. He struggles to hold back his excited core from responding in kind, though still automatically transforming into Phantom without even meaning to. 

Fuuuck… Is it just him, or does Vlad notice this too?

He looks in Vlad’s direction, noticing… a nervous shifting? 

Oh, fuck… had he noticed his ice core spazing out, randomly sending cold his way??

His face flushes a deep green and he looks away, wishing he could literally sink into the ground and let it swallow him whole.

Oh, wait… He can.

“I-I was born, ready, Fruitloop!” He declares as enthusiastically and energetically as he can in an attempt to hide his deep embarrassment of his ice cores misbehaviour, hoping to hell Vlad wouldn’t think him a freak.

He then sinks into the ground, and flies towards the training room. 

Taking his usual spot, he eagerly awaits further instructions.

::::::::::::::::

Vlad’s nervousness starts to grow, worried that he won’t be able to control his core’s reaction to Daniel anymore. At first, it had been a nuisance, but now he is genuinely worried that the other halfa will discover the extent of his feelings. It seems as if coming to terms with his attraction had unlocked his core even more, to the point that it unconsciously searches for Daniel. It had been easy to contain the core when he was in denial, but now that he’s admitted the feelings (to himself), he can’t control his core as much. 

He was absolutely fucked, wasn’t he?

Vlad was supposed to have control over his emotions, he was supposed to be able to keep them at bay, but with each passing day, it grows into more of a challenge. He can only wonder what this will mean for him in the future. 

Taking a deep breath once Daniel flies to the training room, Vlad tries to contain his core to the best he can before flying after him. He wants to growl in frustration when his core immediately pulses out towards Daniel, practically wrapping around the ghost with a warmth that is almost needy. 

Phantom’s core purrs in delight as the heat wraps so pleasurably around his body, warmth entering through his pores and touching his soul. It is a hard struggle, but he successfully manages to reel in his core from sending out a responding chill. 

Danny shifted uncomfortably as his body tingles in pleasurable sensation, suddenly mortified at the possibility of what this is doing to him. Shit. If this continues, he might have a big problem downstairs…

‘Fuck me and this suit…’ He curses his tight fitting outfit, especially during times like this. How the fucking hell would he explain to the older halfa an erection at this time??

Flushing green, he tried to focus on a spot. Any spot… 

His eyes, that were looking at the vampire ghost, shift downward.

‘No! Not that spot!!’ He growls at himself in his thoughts. He should not be looking at Vlad’s crotch. 

He really needs to cool down, so to speak…

‘Ok… think gross thoughts. Gross thoughts…’ An image of his dad in swimming trunks…

‘Ewwwwww….’ His eye twitched and he grimaced, shuddering at the mental image as if someone had poured ice cold water on him, thankfully lowering some of his libito for the time being.

But unfortunately not for long. ‘I wonder what Vlad would look like in swimming trunks…’

Silver hair shining in the sunlight, a devious smirk as sapphire eyes peeked from black sunglasses, broad muscular body tanned to perfection, wearing nothing but black swim trunks.

Oh… that would certainly be a sight to behol- ‘QUIT IT!’

He bit his lower lip, frustration coming off of him in waves.

Or Plasmius… Hhhhmmmm… a dark red swimming trunks might help accentuate his blood-red eyes. He would especially look delectable in ghost form, as the man seemed more muscular in that form-

‘Fuuuckk…’ He was fucked. Totally and utterly fucked. There was no way his secret sexual attraction to the older halfa was going to last...

Vlad managed to finally stop his core from spreading to Daniel for the time being. “Last time you accidentally transported somewhere. Tonight, I want you to try and transport yourself to an intended spot.”

As if Clockwork himself heard his prayers, Danny felt the warmth surrounding his body leave, his core shuddering in disappointment as he suddenly felt empty…

But, at least it should help with his growing problem. 

Taking a deep breath, he nodded at the elder halfa. “Okay… How about I try to teleport to the kitchen?” Of course being the impatient teen he was striving for something more difficult than just transporting to the other side of the training room. 

::::::::

Vlad’s nerves were starting to secretly fray, his core starting to die down the more he aggressively kept it locked away. The warmth that had started to fill the room was finally dissipating into nothingness, plunging the room into normal temperature. It was odd feeling something so…normal, but it was also a huge relief to him, not as worried about his secret attraction coming out. With the average temperature in the room, it enabled him to clear his head and reorganize his thoughts. Not that he didn’t enjoy thinking about Daniel, but it was starting to weigh on him and consume his energy the more he kept it hidden. 

Vlad looks at the other, biting his lips at the delectable flush that is staining the usually pale cheeks, the green in his eyes starting to pop out more. He stares, transfixed on the wonderful image in front of him, thoughts venturing into an unbidden territory. 

He wondered how far that flush went, the image of Daniel without clothes entered his mind, the teenager sprawled on his burgundy bed, legs spread-

Vlad sucked in a silent breath and pulled away from those taunting images, one of his fangs digging into the inside of his cheek, needing to feel the pain in order to come back to himself. 

It doesn’t work for long, because he pictures the halfa pushed against his desk, arms wrapped around his shoulders as fangs nip his neck, the teenager pleading for-

He holds back a growl and draws a bit of blood, the taste of it in his mouth effectively stopping his wayward thoughts. Vlad pushes them away into the back of his mind, resigning himself to another lonely night of fantasies. For now, he has a younger halfa to train. Daniel wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his desires, at any rate, so he carries on.

“The kitchen?” Vlad hums at the suggestion, not at all surprised by the energetic teen. Daniel had always been one to strive for the best and defy any previous standards. While he would want to reign him in for something more realistic, he knows the younger can achieve it, so he nods.

“If you’re unable to reach the kitchen, we’ll try something smaller.” He suggests, sending Daniel a small smirk. “But knowing your abilities, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did it on your first try.” He complimented, fang poking out of his smirk.

Danny was beyond entranced. 

Oh… why the hell does the man have to look soo… sexy with that confident smirk…

Phantom shivers, and by god he can’t contain the sharp chill that pulsed from his core at the compliment, the words of praise sending delightful shivers through his spine, and making his core purr with energy.

His neon eyes caught the glint of the older halfa’s fang, focusing all attention on that one sharp polished canine. His neck tingled, and goosebumps rose on his skin just imagining that lovely feeling of that fang piercing his neck as strong arms encircled his body, the inferno of the halfa’s towering form enveloping him whole…

Yeah. Houston, we have a problem…

He quickly turned around, turning his back to the older halfa. No other freakin way to hide his embarrassing erection that he was almost 100% sure was starting to show in his skin tight black suit.

Thinking quickly on his feet, he sat on the ground, cross legged in a meditation pose, as if he was concentrating on teleportation. Pffft.. Like that was anywhere near his insane thoughts right now…

He closed his eyes, hands on his legs as his concentration was still far from teleportation because fuck, he can’t really explain why he suddely turned his back to the older halfa, and he had to be ready should Plasmius walk around to look at him, cause he really didn’t have anything to hide his erection at the moment.

‘There is definitely something wrong with me…’

::::::::::

Vlad had been feeling relief up until that moment, the change in temperature was doing something to calm his raging emotions and keep him grounded for the most part. That was until a deep pulse from Daniel made his core blaze with need, a sharp shiver erupting from his body. He sucked in a breath, biting his lips at the pleasure that was enveloping him, sinking into his skin and leaving him desperate for more. 

As if on cue, his core responded in kind, sending a deep pulse to Daniel’s back, the warmth practically nuzzling at the other halfa, wanting to tug him closer. Despite being partially dead, he can still feel his loud heartbeat that thuds erratically in his ears, the sound whooshing through his ears. He clenches his eyes shut in defeat, core sending another pulse towards the halfa, this one less in intensity, but still desperate nonetheless. 

When he reopens his eyes, he tries to calm the fire burning in his core, but it only succeeds in diming the flame slightly. It still burns within him, urging him to do something, to do…anything. 

He has to resist the temptations. He stops himself from falling forward and pulling Daniel into his chest, he stops himself from pressing into that cold back and letting his hands explore the lithe chest, sliding downwards to rub at-

No. I need to stop that. Vlad thinks, attempting to dislodge those thoughts, but his core has other ideas and sends another wave of warmth to the other, unable to help it. 

He was fucked.

Phantom bit his lip hard enough to draw ectoplasm, his core pulsing quicker, more desperate at the call of it’s heated counterpart and fuuuucck… Danny can’t control this...

Everything in every cell of his body was screaming at him to go to the other halfa. To find that warmth that seemed to balance the raging blizzard within his core. To harmonize in a way that he had not realized he needed until now.

His body started shivering, his knuckles turning white from how hard he was golding his knees. His core was sending wave after wave of cooled energy in Palsmiu’s direction, intensifying in strength with every pulse. 

He needed to shut this down. 

Now.

His core raged against him as he fought to lower his energy, his electrifying neon eyes shifting from flashing to dimming as he struggled to change back to human. To control whatever ghostly thing had possessed his core to act so wildly.

“Ahhhrrgg!!” He gasped in pain at the shut down, white rings finally cutting his midsection and shifting his form from ghost to human, and he fell over to the side, panting heavily and drenched in sweat from the effort.

:::::::::::::::

Vlad had stumbled to his knees at the intense pulse emanating from Daniel, the ice making his fire sing with delight each time the core pulsed into his own. He can’t contain the sharp gasp, his body shuddering with delight at the answering calls. The fire and ice within them want to wrap around each other and never leave, both of their cores seemingly in unison to swirl around together.

He needs Daniel more than he needs anything else in the entire universe, his core pulsing with red hot need that is hard to ignore. If anything can be said about Vlad, it could be said that he was as stubborn as an ox. He would not give in to these temptations. He was a fighter and would force himself to hold back. 

Vlad could feel a change in the atmosphere, his sense starting to go off as Daniel shivered violently, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach as he watched the events unfold. 

“Daniel?” Vlad transformed into his human half on instinct, rushing towards him and carefully touching his shoulder, tugging him closer against his chest, heartbeat racing with worry.

“Are you okay?” He needed to check on him, his concern outweighing any of his other emotions.

Danny panted, trying to catch his breath, sky-blue eyes gazing up at the concerned sapphire ones.

And his eyes widened in mortification and his face flamed red in utter embarrassment. 

Fuck, if Vlad had transformed back to human, that had to mean that his ice core had affected his… Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

Think of something, think of something Fenton!

“I-I think my ice core might be acting… up again. L-like when I first got ice powers. Hehehe…” This was sooo not like that time… “Ummm… sorry…” He finished, eyes looking away shyly.

But it was the only excuse he could come up with on the fly! 

Suddenly panicking, he glanced downward, relief flooding his overactive system at seeing that all the stress to transform back took care of his little problem downstairs, and the elder would be none the wiser.

His heart constricted painfully, his ice core, pulsing at a low, normalish strength, sad at the loss of warmth. And even though the teen was embarrassed as hell, he really did not want to leave things like this with the older halfa.

“Uuummm… Maybe take a snack break?” He offered sorta lamely, offering a strained smile.

This night had not turned out how he’d had planned.

:::::::::::::::

Vlad shivered at the loss of the cold that had once encircled him, his neutralized core lightly pulsing in dismay at the pleasant loss. He closes his eyes and tries to even his breathing further, hoping he can force himself to completely relax. His breathing exercise helps him only slightly, but there is something that stops him from completely calming down. What he hears makes his core give a faint pulse, his teeth sinking into his bottom lip.

‘I think my ice core might be acting…up again.’ Hearing Daniel say that makes him falter, a dark flush starting to spread across his cheeks, his hands gripping his knees to hold onto something. He had to stop himself from reaching out, tugging the younger halfa closer to him, knowing that if he were to do that, it would give everything away. 

Daniel had just admitted to his core acting up, which given the circumstances, mirrored the actions of his own. Both of their cores were reaching out for each other, both wrapping around the other like a cocoon of familiarity. If it weren’t for the fact that Vlad had spent over twenty years researching about ghosts, he would have been at a loss at what was happening. 

Fuck, did he dare to hope that Daniel felt the same-

No, he couldn’t afford such a luxury. 

But…

Too lost in his own thoughts, Vlad doesn’t hear the suggestion for a snack break. Instead, he watches the younger halfa, his thoughts flying everywhere. 

The older halfa’s silence only made Danny feel worse, having completely ruined their training session. 

‘Dammit!’

Sure, just like any normal guy he’s had sexual attractions, erections in the worst of times, etcetera. But unlike all of those times, his ghost half had never had these problems. It was always Fenton…

Oh, shit… Was he going through some sort of ghost puberty??

And if he was…

OMG… Had Vlad noticed???

The older halfa had ghost powers for many years. If Vlad had gone through the same thing he would surely notice…

How fucking embarrassing would that be?

And oh my fucking god. If this was some sort of ghost puberty, what if the older halfa tries to give him… the talk...

Danny hid his face in mortification, unable to contain a pained whine as he just wanted the earth to swallow him into oblivion.

Vlad’s mind was still a storm of thoughts, and he realized that Daniel probably has no idea what is going on with his core. He might think he is alone in this endeavor. Vlad realized, absently moving closer to comfort him. 

“You’re not alone, Daniel.” Vlad mumbled, hand moving to rest on Daniel’s chest as he felt the icey core beneath his hand. He sent a pulse of warmth, closing his eyes and hoping he could convey his message.

Danny’s heart pounded faster as he felt Vlad’s hand gently touch his chest, the tender action making the teen flush and look away shyly once more.

He took a sharp intake of breath as he felt the pleasant warmth enter his core, his ice core reacting and dancing around almost joyfully around the hot energy. 

His blush deepened as warmth spread through his chest, not all coming from the older halfa’s energy. “... What does it mean?...” He all but whispered to the floor, quite lost. If it wasn’t some ghost puberty thing, and it was happening to Vlad too, what was it?

Vlad’s core gave another pulse at their proximity, wanting to do nothing more than pull him closer and press his core against Daniel’s back. He was usually good with words and emotions, but right now, the billionaire wasn’t sure what to even say. 

Vlad licked his lips, body starting to tingle as their energies swirled around each other in a mesmerizing dance, one that he could quickly lose himself to if given the opportunity. He lets his finger trace where his heart is, feeling the core pulse with power. 

Opening his mouth to respond, Vlad pauses when he felt an unfamiliar presence enter his territory and soon huffed. Luckily, it felt like a low-level specter, but the fact was the presence was still an intruder to his domain. 

“It appears I have an intruder.” Vlad admits, regretfully pulling away from Daniel. “It doesn’t feel to be a powerful one, though.” He mumbled, mostly to himself as it got closer. 

On the inside, he was fucking pissed, but he had to keep a calm, outward appearance. It would undo everything if Daniel were to believe he was mad at him. He closes his eyes and teleports both of them to where the intruder was coming.

A part of Danny was relieved of the interruption. Whatever had been going on felt so… intimate. And the teen honestly did not know what to think or do with that.

Taking a deep breath, he started to get into a battle mindset, thankful that his mind and body began switching modes fairly quickly. Years of constant threat of danger and many risky battles made it an important survival instinct to be able to shift into battle-mode quickly.

Though he honestly did not dare transform into Phantom just yet.

Standing, he stiffened and closed his hands into fists, ready to fight.

Though, his body still tingled pleasantly when he felt Vlad’s warm magenta energy envelop him as they teleported. But thankfully, his instinct to protect was in full-swing, and the feeling did not distract him.

Once outside the mansion in the cool night air, Danny spotted a small green ghost pup dashing in their direction. “Cujo?”

“Rrruuuff, rufff!” The puppy’s black ears rose when he heard the call, tail beginning to wag excitedly as the tiny green pup bounced excitedly towards Danny. 

Danny, laughed, opening his arms as the small bundle jumped onto him, knocking him to the ground. “Hahaha! Hey! Gentle. I’m in human form, remember?” The teen laughed as his face was attacked with slobbery kisses.

:::::::::::::

From the ecto-signature Vlad had picked up on, the power level from the intruder hadn’t felt powerful at all. In fact, it felt like a level one, or level two at the max. It was a similar power level to that of the Box Ghost, but the signature was slightly different. Perhaps it was a new ghost who didn’t yet understand how haunts worked? A ghost with experience would know to not enter another ghost's territory without reason, unless they wanted to be attacked. Of course, there were a few prankster ghosts that liked to cause havoc, but even they knew not to mess with Plasmius. 

He formed energy in his hand, ready to attack the creature that dared step into his domain-

But he promptly felt himself lower his hands as his enhanced eyesight caught the image of a ghostly puppy running towards them. He opened his mouth, his eyebrows furrowing when Daniel called the canine by name.

Not a very fitting name, mind you. 

Despite the disturbance, Vlad felt himself give a smile as soon as the puppy bounced over to Daniel, attacking the younger halfa with excited licks.

“I didn’t know you had a dog.” He smirked a bit at the excited puppy, the green ghostly fur slightly disheveled from bouncing on Daniel. “A ghost dog, at that.” Vlad added with a slight chuckle, eyes soft as he watched their interactions. 

It was quite obvious that Daniel cared about ‘Cujo’ and Vlad couldn’t help but be reminded of his own darling cat that was currently inside, probably curled up on her comfortable bed. Vlad made a mental note to get dog biscuits, just in case the ghostly pup were to ever show up again. 

Danny smiled wistfully, a fond, soft look on the teen’s face. “I’ve always wanted a puppy. Ever since I could remember.” He said as he looked at Cujo with adoration. Then his gaze turned a bit sad. “Sadly, my mom nor my dad would let me have any pets in the house…” He whispered sadly, sharing one of his most inner desires since he had been a child to the elder halfa.

“But!” He continued, pushing the sadness away. “This little guy and I are inseparable. And he seemed to have chosen me~” He said with a big wide grin, a twinkle in his sky-blue eyes. 

Then frowned. “Though, there is absolutely no way he could live with me…” He finished, a dark, deep sorrow crossing his eyes, the unsaid ‘they would kill him because he was a ghost’ hanging in the air. 

Vlad felt a twinge of sadness for the younger halfa, the urge to comfort him rising again. While Daniel didn’t talk about his parents often, Vlad could always sense the underlying level of pain that was there, and it honestly broke his heart. He had no idea what it was like to be in Daniel’s shoes, regarding his family. Vlad was out of the house long before he developed ghost powers in the hospital, so he never had to face them. 

He couldn’t even imagine what it might have been like for your parents to not only want some of your friends dead (well, deader) and for them to want you dead. Vlad couldn’t help but look at him, worry shining in his eyes at the melancholy that forms in those blue eyes again. 

Vlad hates it when the younger looks like that, his eyes needing to shine with happiness and excitement instead of looking so…somber. He sent a comforting pulse to Daniel, wanting to make it better.

“I know I’ve already offered this invitation before, but you’re always welcome here, Daniel. Both of you.” Vlad mumbled softly, moving his other hand to gently lay on his forearm. “If you ever need to get away from your parents, you can seek solace here.” 

Danny looked up at that. Baby blue eyes gazing intently into sapphire orbs. He could see it in those deep blue pools, Vlad was genuinely trying to offer him and his ghost pup a safe haven, away from all of the dangers of the world. His gaze softened, and he gave the older halfa a gentle smile as they gazed into each other's eyes. “Thanks.”

The thumping sound of his ringtone within the ghost pup blared to life, and Danny’s gaze lowered to Cujo’s as his heart sank. 

“Oh…” He said with a bit of disappointment, realizing why Cujo had come to seek him out, even in another ghost’s territory. In all likelihood, this meant that there was ghost trouble somewhere in Amity, and he would have to leave Vlad’s company.

Though, considering all the weird things that were happening just before, maybe it’s not such a bad thing to have some space. 

The ringing emanating from the small chest caught Vlad’s attention, his heart sinking just the slightest. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out why there was a phone call, or why Cujo had it in his chest, but he had a feeling their night was about to come to an end.

This should be a blessing though, shouldn’t it? Vlad thought to himself as Daniel grabbed the phone to answer it. If the other halfa were to leave, then it would mean not needing to talk about what occurred in the training room. 

Vlad wasn’t the type of person to run away from his problems, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth tonight. 

Turning his human hand invisible, Danny reached into the ghost pup, pulling out his ringing phone and answering it. “Hello?”

“Danny!” A male voice spoke on the other end. “I have been calling you for a while now!”

“J-just patrolling around.” He lied quickly. “What’s up?”

“What’s up is that the lunch lady is pissed! Remember that new 24 hour Vegan diner that opened up in the last week?”

Danny winced, knowing full well that the Lunch Lady hated any food establishment that did not serve meat, then, frowned in confusion. He knew that Tucker was going to watch a late-night release movie, but it didn’t fully explain it. “Yeah, but why are you there?”

Vlad overhears parts of the conversation, smirking when he heard who the villain of the night is.

“...” A few seconds of silence on the phone. “... Jesenia.”

Danny shook his head, feeling bad for his teck friend, but not really surprised. Tucker was kinda a pushover with his new girlfriend. Going to watch the late-night release of a romance move was one thing. But wow, but to go so far as to go to a vegan dinner… “Be there in a few minutes.” And he hung up.

He sighed heavily, looking a little sadly at Cujo, who turned his head adorably in confusion.

“Well… duty calls…” He said more for Vlad than for the pup in his arms, his core giving a sad little pulse in the older halfa’s direction.

When Daniel hangs up, Vlad looks at him, heart constricting at the sad look in those baby-blue eyes as they look at the adorable puppy. He slowly reaches over to run a hand through Daniel’s dark hair, hoping to offer some comfort. 

Danny unconsciously lets out a low sigh, eyes closing as he lost himself a bit in that soft, comforting touch to his raven hair.

“It appears that way.” Vlad teases. “Although, it is just the Lunch Lady. I know you won’t have any problems with her.” Vlad smirks, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. 

“I’ll have to bake you some more cookies for your impending victory.” Vlad smirks more, letting his hand fall back to his side.

Cujo had watched the exchange curiously, black ears raised, tilting his head a little in contemplation.

Leaving Danny’s arms, the pup floated up to Vlad at eye level. Staring at the man with a serious gaze, little red button eyes looking into Sapphire ones intently, as if trying to decipher or decide something about the older halfa. 

Vlad’s smile turned to a curious expression when Cujo floated up to look at him. 

“Hello,” He looked at the dog, taking in his appearance and the small red eyes. “I can see why Daniel likes you so much,” Vlad smiled, getting the sense of protection from the dog.

Cujo’s little black nose sniffed the air once. Then, seemed to make his decision, purple tongue coming out as he jumped on the older halfa with much surprising strength one would have never guessed from the little pup, the force causing Vlad to fall backwards as he was assaulted by slobbery kisses. 

Danny couldn’t help but smile fondly at the scene, his heart warming and his core pulsing in delight. “It looks like he likes you.” Watching as the poor older halfa was ‘attacked’ relentlessly by the excited energetic puppy. 

Vlad wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but he could quite honestly say he hadn’t been expecting Cujo to pounce on him and lick him relentlessly. He stumbled back at the unexpected strength behind the small body, unable to stop a soft chuckle as he landed on his ass as an excitable dog covered him with kisses. 

Feeling Daniel’s core pulse against his own, Vlad answered by sending back his own pulse, chuckling softly at another lick to his chin. “I can see that. He is quite adorable.” Vlad stroked the soft green fur, scratching behind his ear as more licks were bestowed upon him. 

Yes, he could definitely see why Daniel liked this dog so much. In a way, Cujo reminded him of Maddie, just minus the excitable nature. The puppy was as sweet as his darling cat, and Vlad felt lucky that such a dog seemed to like him. 

Strange, how things could change.

After a few minutes, Danny decided to put Vlad out of his misery, grabbing Cujo off of the older man. “Okay, down boy. Let’s be gentle with the old man.” He said in jest, smirking as the pup squirmed excitedly in his grasp. 

He let cujo down, and the green ghost puppy stared up at Danny expectantly. 

The teen gave the pup a small smile, then looked back to Vlad, offering a hand to help the older halfa up from the ground. “Sorry.” He said with an apologetic smile. “He can get a little... eager sometimes.”

“No need to apologize, Daniel. I always liked dogs in my youth.” He admitted, watching Cujo with a smile. “I’ll have to get some dog treats now, I suppose.” He teased. 

He reached for Daniel’s hand and grabbed it, but before he could get up, the small puppy had forcefully bumped into the younger halfa’s leg, causing him to fall as well. 

Vlad flushed, looking at the younger halfa that was sprawled on top of him.

Vlad couldn’t breathe at first, too worried that the slightest movement would surprise Daniel and send the other off of him. He swallowed hard, his core fluttering with delight at their proximity, the warmth pulsing towards Daniel to eagerly wrap around the other halfa. 

::::::::::::::::::

“Rrrufff!!” Cujo’s excitement only grew at the mention of future treats, and he did a little spin, hopping around joyfully as his wispy little tail wagged nonstop. 

“Ahhg!” Danny exclaimed as the knock at his legs made him lose his balance, and fell on top of something rather… soft, yet firm. And very comfortingly warm…

His core purred in delight, feeling so close to the older halfa’s flame core, quickly and excitedly sending cooled pulses and wrapping around that warm heat.

Danny’s eyes opened wide, his breath hitched as he stared down straight into the sapphire orbs that were mere centimeters from his own.

He was frozen in place, his heart hammering in his chest as he could feel the warm breath ghost his sensitive skin. See how the elder’s silky silver hair was scattered on the ground, framing that strong chiseled face. 

Those dark blue eyes that held soo much depth… Danny almost felt like he could gaze within the billionaire's soul, even noticing a hint of red that was oh so typical of Plasmius deep within. He could get lost in those eyes...

His breathing quickened, his arms that were caging the older halfa began to tremble slightly as a warmth spread throughout his body, his core singing in delight and wrapping so tenderly around that warmth as he just stared, transfixed.

Vlad sucked in a breath as chilly pulses also shot towards him, lingering against his chest and promising something more. It was so intimate that Vlad felt himself give an almost inaudible sigh of pleasure, their proximity making it hard to concentrate on why they should get off each other. 

But all of those thoughts seemingly washed away when he stared into the sky-blue eyes, goosebumps forming along his skin as they stared at each other, neither of them daring to make a move. 

Slowly, and carefully, Vlad let an arm wrap around Daniel’s waist, keeping the younger halfa against his chest. He knew it was a bad idea, but there was no way in Hell he was letting this moment pass. The hand against Daniel’s back slowly traces the skin there, chasing away the cold chill with his warm fingers. 

As if it has another mind of its own, Vlad’s other hand slides up to stroke through Daniel’s hair again, nails gently scraping along the scalp. His soft eyes trail along the younger halfa’s face, lingering to look at the lips.

Danny’s body shivered pleasantly at the feel of the arm around his waist, the teen unconsciously pressing his body even closer to the man below him, his ice core humming even more in delight as a pleasurable sigh escaped between parted lips.

The hand on his head felt soo lovely… causing the younger to lower his head just a tiny bit, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as his eyes started to close…

“Daniel…”

Before Vlad can move forward to those soft lips, Daniel’s phone starts ringing again and breaks the moment.

Danny’s attention sparks at the sound of the ringtone, and his eyes snap open. Realization about his current position on top of the older halfa hitting him like a ton of bricks.

His eyes widened almost comically, his face turning beet red out of embarrassment and mortification.

He scrambled off of the halfa with lightning speed, heart yammering in his chest and breathing heavily. ‘Shit, Fenton! What the hell!’ He chastised himself, trying to block out his imagination’s wild fantasies about what his libito would have rather happened.

“I-I’d better go before the Lunch Lady causes too much havoc…” He mumbled, looking anywhere but at the older halfa, not bothering to answer the phone at this time.

Vlad wanted to curse that blasted phone all the way to Tartarus and back, his core giving a deep pulse towards Daniel, wanting to tempt the younger halfa to return to his arms. Realizing what he just did, Vlad quickly stood up, face flushing a dark shade of pink. 

“Right. I should get some more documents created and read for tomorrow.” Vlad responded, running a hand through his long hair in an effort to do something with his hands, which didn’t include touching Daniel and stroking his soft hair instead. 

Danny shivered pleasantly, feeling the pull of heat that almost… beckoned him, having to reign in his core that threatened to send out even more energy towards the elder halfa.

‘I’m really going insane aren’t I?’ 

There was no way. No way that Vlad’s core had tried to call his own, as if the powerful, smart, rich, handsome, older man wanted some sort of intimate contact with the likes of him. He was a nobody compared to the older halfa. A weak, average looking, pathetic excuse of an 18 year old who struggled with high school and whose power as a halfa came nowhere near what Plasmius could do. The idea that Vlad might even have a speck of interest was soo pathetic, it was beyond laughable.

And of course, there was the issue with his mother…

He pushed those painful thoughts aside, ignoring the painful constriction of his heart, using all restraint he could muster to stop a desperate pulse from his ice core.

Turning, he picked up an excitable, panting Cujo. “G-Good night.”

White rings surrounded his body, changing him to Phantom as he tried to suppress his energy from making any more embarrassing pulses.

Vlad watches the teen transform into Daniel, worry coursing through his veins as he thought back at what almost happened. 

Fuck, had he almost kissed Daniel? Everything in the last minute was starting to add up and the elder halfa was only now understanding what had almost happened. 

Fuck. 

If that phone hadn’t gone off, he would have kissed the other halfa, and there was no telling what Daniel would have done-

But he seemed to want it… Vlad flushed at his own intrusive thoughts and cleared his throat, needing to ground himself. It didn’t matter that Daniel had closed his eyes, almost expecting…

Had Daniel been expecting a kiss? Had he wanted him to…

Getting carried away, Vlad knows to put a stop to his wayward thoughts. 

“Good night, Daniel. I’ll see you later.” He smiled, not wanting to make things awkward between them. 

But of course, his core pulses towards him again, but it was lighter than before.

Danny was about to take off before his body shuddered, green blush tinting his skin at the feel of that last, though weaker, warm pulse. 

He hesitated for a second, but only turned his head to the older halfa with a smirk, green eyes shining with mischief. “See you tomorrow, fruitloop. Be sure to remember the victory cookies you promised me.” He all but purred in an almost… licentious tone?

Green blush darkening, he quickly turned before the older halfa could respond, his lower half turning into his long slender ghost tail, and flew away as fast as his speed could take him. Mortified that at the sound of his voice and how he ‘flirted’ with Vlad.

‘Please… let him not have noticed. Let him not have noticed. Let him not have noticed!’ He pleaded to nothing in particular as he flew into the night, his long ghostly tail trailing behind him. 

::::::::::::::::::

Vlad’s heart did an immediate flutter at the voluptuary tone in the other halfa’s words, his body flaring up with heat that wasn’t caused just by his core. It felt as if his blood turned into molten lava beneath his skin, his face a deep shade of red as he glanced in time to watch Daniel quickly fly off into the night. His body gave a soft shudder as he recalled that salacious tone, his gut burning with a desire that made him wish for the icy core to cool him down. 

But, knowing how his body would react, it was more than likely that the ice would make the fire in his body incinerate further. He took a deep, needed breath, trying to will away the desire that was coursing through his veins, making it hard to stay level headed.

When all he wanted to do was fly after Daniel and kiss him senseless. 

Shaking the impure thoughts away, Vlad watches until Daniel has disappeared, his shoulders sagging lightly at the emptiness that he leaves in his wake. 

With the other halfa around, it’s easy to forget how alone he truly is. 

He heads back into his house, smiling when Maddie runs up to him and sniffs at his pants, tilting her head at the strange dog-like scent. She looks up at him with a confused mewl, purring when a large hand reaches down to rub at her head. 

“Apparently I have more cookies to make for tomorrow.” Vlad chuckles, watching as she tilts her head again and purrs against him, walking with him to his office. She curls up on his lap as he sifts through some documents, trying to rest while her owner is trying to distract himself with work. It doesn’t stay like that for long. 

Vlad’s mind keeps going back to his encounters with Daniel, and the flirtatious tone beneath it all. He sighs, slumping a bit. 

It was going to be a long night.

________________________________________________

Goten Son Ten: Hey all! I wanted to invite yall Pompous Pep lovers to the Pompous Pep discord I moderate! :) 

We have fun Pompous Pep discussions, share art, Have other Beta your Work, explore fun what-ifs, roleplays, get fanfic recommendations, join seasonal events, bounce story ideas, cute emojis, and more! The Pompous Pep server invite is https://discord.gg/u6cSG5b on Discord. 

(This pic made by our talented Admin Plasmius, who also does cute emojis!)


	8. Fears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.
> 
> We hope ya’ll enjoy!
> 
> _________________________________

It was a beautiful night, stars shining brightly. The wind gently caressing hair as black as the night’s sky.

“Daniel”

That voice, that name…

Danny turned with a smile, his core leaping for joy as he saw the man with shining silver hair, gently flowing with the soft breeze. 

‘Vlad…’

His heart beat faster as the well-dressed man approached slowly, a light smirk playing on that handsome face that sent a jolt through his spine. The older halfa’s warmth making his core purr.

But… something was… off…

There was something in that Saphire gaze that the teen couldn’t quite decipher. Something…

Dark.

And the heat felt a little… wrong...

Danny frowned as the man stood right in front of him. Something in the gaze just setting him a little on edge.

But this was Vlad. The energy signature, the heat (even if it felt a little off). They had a truce and the man had been nothing but kind to him since then.

The smirk on the older man’s face widened, fangs extending, those blue eyes turning crimson red.

And the heat rose uncomfortably, making the teen sweat and setting him even more on edge.

“V-vlad?” He asked nervously, taking a step back as his ice core reached out to the older halfa

Only to be scorched.

“Aahg!” Danny jumped back and held his chest in pain with a white glove, his core pulsing in pain as his fear rose, watching the familiar black rings transform the man before him into Plasmius.

The heat was consuming, threatening to smother him. 

He watched as the smirk turned to a sneer. The laugh that followed dark and menacing.

He had not heard that laugh in years....

His core tightened painfully as the cold hearted laugh pierced his heart and reverberated through his body. The sound filled with malice and hate. The sound brought him back to that college reunion, the first time he met the elder halfa...

In lighting speed, his neck was choked in an iron grip, his skin searing painfully from the lava-hot touch. 

He couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe...

His legs kicked furiously as he was lifted off the ground by the vampire ghost, the malice oozing from those blood-red eyes making the teen panic even more.

‘Why…?’ He thought in anguish, eyes tearing up as his neon eyes gazed at the older halfa in pain and confusion. 

The evil grin only widened, fangs glinting in the moonlight as if they could tear his throat out at any moment. “Why Daniel, did you really think I had changed?” The grip on his neck tightened further, as the teen cried out in pain. 

His ice core tried to touch the older halfa’s fire core, trying to calm the other and try to mend whatever had been broken between them. To re-establish their peaceful harmony.

“AAAaaahhhh!!!” Only to be excruciatingly singed once again. 

Plasmius’ smirk only grew and his infernal red-eyes flared. “Did you think that I could ever be… Good?” The man spat mockingly.

Sharp claws started digging into his raw throat. “If I had known that all it took was sweets, I would have done so a long time ago.” This time the meaning of those words were twisted with malice, sneering at the teen. “You thought I had forgiven Jack?? Ha!”

Blazing eyes stared dead straight into his. “You are as much a fool as your idiotic father.”

The words pained him far worse than the scorching heat or the painful constriction to his neck. Almost as much as the retching rejection of the fire-core his’ always sought so desperately.

Vlad had not changed. He was just being used like the idiot he was…

Tears fell as he watched the man raise a fist, powerfully destructive magenta energy surrounding the hand a malicious grin plastered on that blue face he thought he knew so well. “Now, I have you right where I want you~”

And Danny was helpless as he watched the killing blow.

“Aaaah!!” Danny sat up from his bed with a start, blue eyes wide as they darted across the bedroom in terror, his heart pounding so fast, it could burst from his chest at any moment. 

It took him many seconds to realize where he was…

And even then, his breathing and heartbeat would not slow.

Shakingly, he lifted a hand to his raging chest, then sliding up to his neck apprehensively.

It had felt soo real…

The terrifying figure that stood in his nightmare sounded just like Vlad. Was indistinguishable from the man… even down to Plasmius’ unique flaring fire core signature.

His ice core flared with fear, remembering the pained sear that had torn through his core. The haunting memory of that hellfire gaze filled with a malice he had never seen before in those flaming eyes burning into his very soul.

But… He thought as his hands graced his sensitive neck, only feeling the ghost of imagined pain. It had been a dream.

A terrifyingly vivid nightmare.

He held his knees, hugging himself tightly, his ice core giving a weak, feeble pulse into nothingness, seeking the warm comforting touch of its companion, only to be met with silence.

‘Breathe in… Breathe out…’ He thought as he took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his raging nerves. 

He focused on remembering the comforting warmth he experienced from the older halfa. Recalling that every time he had gone to visit the billionaire, all he had ever felt was an embracing gentle heat that felt like a nice warm blanket on a cold night. A heat he wanted to feel. Be near. 

Not that raging inferno from his nightmares...

He buried his head, fear still lingering in his heart.

_____________________________________________________________

  
Sometimes, you had a feeling if your day wasn’t going to go very well, or at the least, end on a happy note. Vlad wasn’t immune to such feelings either, and as soon as he woke up in the morning, there was something putting him on edge, unable to place his finger on it. Maddie seemed to notice his disheveled appearance and mewled in concern, looking at him with a curious tilt of her head. 

“I’m not sure, Maddie. I just have a strange feeling,” Vlad admitted with a frown, running a hand through his silky hair, trying to fix it before he got in the shower. 

“Meow?” She asked, nuzzling at his hand slowly, the mood of her owner making her anxious. Vlad paused and smiled a bit at her, scratching under her chin for a moment, before sighing. 

“I’ll be alright, dear. I’ll just need to get through the day.” He sat up, carefully moving the cat to the side as he stretched, getting off the bed. “After my shower, how about some salmon for breakfast?” He asked, smirking as her ears perked up at the mention of fish. 

If Vlad hoped that taking a shower would help him, he was dead wrong. In fact, it almost made him worse in a way. He growled into the shower, placing his head against the tiled wall with a sigh. 

“This is going to be a long day,” 

The Billionaire hadn’t been wrong about that, sadly. There was meeting after meeting, and of course, papers and laws to read. He shut his eyes with a sigh, rubbing his temple with his fingers, looking over all the mistakes that had been made. 

“What do you mean they incorrectly reported all their sales and their company breeches?” Vlad hissed, glaring heatedly at the manuscripts, income statements, and balance sheets that were laid out for him. A few people took a step back, paling at the obvious anger.

“Uh-“ One of the CEO’s began, only to shut his mouth at the look Vlad gave him. 

“See that the person is fired. This could have cost the company millions if they hadn’t caught the mistakes.” Vlad ended the meeting, watching as all but Cynthia ran from the room.

“There’s also this to look at, sir.” She placed a few other papers on the table, which had to deal with PDA company. “They wanted you to look at a report they filed the other night. Apparently the GiW had to apprehend a ghost who continuously monologed about technology and taking over the world.” Vlad grimaces, knowing exactly who the culprit was. 

Luckily he had Cynthia to help him gather all the needed documentation, but there was only so much she could do as well. When it was decided that the rest would have to be salvaged and read through the entirety, Vlad gave a deep sigh. 

“I have no idea what I would do without you, Cynthia.” Vlad sighed, resisting the urge to tug at his hair in frustration. “You should be the Mayor of this city.” He complimented, making her flush darkly at the praise. “If you ever decide to, I’d be more than willing to endorse you.” Vlad admitted, gathering all the papers he would need for tonight. 

“Thank you, sir. Have a good night,” She offered a kind smile towards him, unable to contain it. “And I’ll give it some thought. Mayor Cynthia Spinosa has a nice ring to it,” The secretary joked, making Vlad snort a bit as he bid her a good night as well, before finally heading home, which meant seeing Daniel later that night. 

The thought of seeing Daniel later that night is what managed to get him through the entire day, and those horrid meetings. He smiled a bit to himself once he got home, cooking a light dinner before heading into his study to start on the mountain of paperwork for the coming hours.

______________________________________________________________

  
The entire day Danny could not stop thinking about that nightmare. His awareness was tuned to the maximum, his gaze frequently shifting as to assess any potential danger. Any simple touch had the teen flinching cautiously until he realized there was no threat. 

Danny’s hypervigilant behavior and anxiety was not missed by his two best friends, who tried everything they could think of to get the young halfa to tell them what was going on. To no avail.

Danny couldn’t even stand to spend time with them, too keyed up to really settle in his human form, quickly using the ‘ghost’ excuse to excuse himself from their company. 

Phantom flew tirelessly over his territory in Amity (soundly avoiding any contact with Plasmius’ domain). He had hoped that the flight would help settle his fear and anxiety, but he was quite disappointed.

Nightfell and his core was still unsettled, feeling his energy swirl almost chaotically within his chest. 

He sat atop of one of the tallest buildings in his city, the gentle breeze carding through his snow-white hair as he gazed absentmindedly below miserably.

He lifted a gloved hand and gently placed it on his chest, feeling the energy within his core swirl chaotically, almost feeling forsaken by the harmonizing heat that injured it.

‘It was just a nightmare…’ He told himself for the upteenth time that day, trying to convince his core and himself.

*Donnnnng, Donnnnng, Donnnnng…*

Neon eyes rose to glance at the tower clock as it tolled out the hour, the sound reverberating through his body. *10pm*

Half an hour before he went to see Vlad.

‘Damnit! Things had been going so well...’

Danny always felt a tingly warm welcoming sensation every time he entered the elder’s domain, kinda looking forward to being in the man’s presence. Loved the friendly banter they had settled into, the man’s sharp wit watching his own. The cooking! Vlad had even gone so far as trouble himself to bake delicious treats just for him when they were going to train. The elder halfa had even shown a more gentle side, the beautiful smile he had shown when he touched or spoke to Maddie, when he had pet Cujo yesterday… Hell, he had seemed so caring when he had that embarrassing panic attack. Not even bringing it up to ask or make fun of his weakness. They had even shared intimate personal stories about their past. About those they had cared deeply about. Their shared pain of the loss of those people.

But, what if Vlad had been lying…

The older halfa could have made the whole thing up in order to get Danny to lower his guard. He could have pretended to care.

No. It seemed genuine. Right?

‘But, what if that is what he wants you to believe?’ A small part of his mind questioned. Years of distrust and conflict with the older man bringing up old suspicions and doubts. 

In all honesty, thinking about it logically. Could a man who spent over 20 years in obsession, denial, and focused on revenge change so quickly and easily?

Fuck. Maybe he was getting played like a loser…

He shook his head. No, Vlad has seemed way too genuine and truthful. All signs pointed to the man having changed for the better. 

And those strange feelings of when their energy came into contact with each other, the feelings seemed far from malice or hate. They felt comforting. Safe.

And yet, his body shivered involuntary as he recalled the searing hot feeling from his nightmares almost as if it had actually happened. Those hateful words full of venom and malice directed towards him by the nightmarish form of the older halfa he had started to bond with.

His neon eyes glanced at the time once more. *10:13pm*

No. There was no way he could visit the older halfa tonight. The mere thought of seeing the man set his nerves on edge, his core pulsing fearfully and curling in on itself while simultaneously reaching out for that warm embrace, comfortable embrace soo very different from his nightmare.

He gave a heavy sigh, lifting his Phantom Phone. He wrote a text to Vlad, finger hovering over the ‘send’ button with uncertainty. The words on the text far from representing the teen’s current mood. *Heya Frootloop! Unfortunately something has come up and I will not be able to train today. See you tomorrow!*.

He clicked the send button. 

Another deep sigh and his gaze rose to the night sky, stars twinkling in the night, oblivious to the inner turmoil stirring in the young halfa’s heart.

As Vlad continues to work through his piles of paperwork, a sense of Déjà vu hits him, and he curses, realizing how late it is and he hasn’t started on the cookies. He makes his way to the kitchen and sets up everything, kneading the dough and adding expensive chocolate into the mixture. 

He had just finished making the batter when his phone goes off, signaling a text message. Vlad heads over and unlocks it, smirking at who the message is from. 

Vlad might not use emojis, but he made sure to put a badger beside Daniel’s name. 

However, once he reads the message, his smirk fades away and into disappointment, his heart and core sinking. 

*I understand, little badger. I’m stuck with a lot of paperwork tonight because Technus decided to try and break into one of my companies.* He hesitates before sending the message, sighing to himself. He pauses, wondering if he should say more or leave it as it is. *If you need anything, I’m here.* He leaves it at that, turning off his phone and moving the cookie dough into the refrigerator, deciding it would be used for tomorrow. 

Maybe it would even be better like that. After all, chilling cookies overnight did improve the way they formed. 

Ignoring the sunken feeling in his chest, Vlad focuses back on his work. 

:::::::::::

The Phantom Phone buzzed in his hand and he lowered his gaze, turning the screen. His heart tightened and his core gave a weak, sad shiver at the reply, and yet his body also felt slight relief at not having to confront the older halfa at this time. 

He raised an eyebrow, noticing a second text from the man and read it, a small smile forming on his face as warm feelings filled his chest. 

He can’t help but let out a chuckle, texting a snarky reply, because he just couldn’t help it. *What? Getting soft on me old man? Gonna play the hero, now? ;p* Adding the tongue out-winking emoji just for yucks and giggles as his core gave a little happy jolt.

His neon eyes watched the phone for a few minutes, waiting for what the older halfa would reply.

But never got one.

His mood dropping once more, core curling in on itself, he places the phone back into his chest, hugging his knees to his chest. Neon eyes gazing sadly out into the city night.

::::::::::::::

Vlad ignored his phone for the rest of the night, electing to get a head start on some project analysis documents, as well as correcting the numerous papers that ITech had filed incorrectly. He sighs, his core immediately noticing the absence of the younger halfa, wishing he could reach out to the ice core, but knowing there was nothing to reach out to. He sighs a bit to himself, trying to shake himself from his lonesome thoughts. It had barely been two days, and he was already missing Daniel like some love-struck teenager. Wincing, he rubs tiredly at his eyes, feeling some of his energy slip away. 

They weren’t even a month into having their truce, yet Daniel had already made an impact by his mere presence. Without him here, the mansion felt even more spacious and desolate, the empty halls stretching far across the house. He shakes his head again and turns to look at the forgotten documents before starting up again, ignoring the pang of loneliness in his heart. 

Hours pass by and when Vlad takes a look at the clock, he sighed deeply. It was nearing three in the morning, and he had to be at work by eight. Slowly, as to not startle Maddie, Vlad grabs his phone and heads to his room for the night. 

A quick glance at his phone reveals a message from Daniel, a small smile playing at the edge of his lips as he looks at the emoji. He snorts fondly and shakes his head, feeling slightly better. He debates on sending him a message but falters, looking at the clock. It was a school night and while the other halfa does hero work until early in the morning, he doubts the other is still awake. 

Deciding against sending a response, he turns off his phone for the night and plugs it into the charger as he gets ready for bed.


	9. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.
> 
> We hope ya’ll enjoy!
> 
> _________________________________

Sweat poured from the pores of his skin, his clothes were soaked and clinged to his skin from the intense overwhelming heat. 

Light-blue eyes scanned his surroundings desperately, mouth dry from the lack of humidity from the climbing temperature. “W-Why are you doing this??” He screamed into the air, desperately trying to puzzle together why the older halfa was hurting him. His ice core coiling in on itself in fear and pain.

“Why wouldn’t I?” The responding malicious voice made his body shiver. “You are a nuisance, a boy who tries to play the hero.” The man spat out the word like a curse. 

Danny couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “B-but you changed!” He cried desperately. “We had a truce!”

“Truce? Hahaha!” Vlad’s sneered. “You actually are so naive that you would believe I would genuinely make a truce with the likes of you?” Plasmius appeared in front of him with an evil smirk that highlighted dangerous fangs. “A talentless rat who frequently tries to bite off more than he can chew? Who can’t even get into the lowest of colleges, has no real talent, and a pest that only deserves to be squashed? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Those words pierced his heart, his core constricting in painful throbs as his sky-blue eyes filled with tears. Those words coming from Vlad of all people cutting him far deeper than any battle they had ever had. 

“Oh, look. Is the baby going to cry now?” Plasmius mocked maliciously. 

Danny growled, white rings flowing through his form, changing him into Phantom as he fisted his hands in anger, flashing his neon eyes at the older halfa in rage and pain.

“Ooohh. The ‘scary eyes’.” Vlad ridiculed. “So childish. Aren’t you supposed to be an adult now Daniel?”

Phantom screamed in rage, dashing toward the elder halfa with an energy powered fist. 

Which Plasmius caught easily with a black-gloved hand. “Please. You can’t even teleport correctly and you expect to take me down with this? Pathetic.”

Danny screamed as sharp electricity coursed through his body and he doubled over in pain. Only to next be punched hard in the gut, sending him skidding across the floor.

His eyes were tightly shut as he tried to recover from the attack, his core pulsing weakly, but desperately trying to reach out to the older halfa that was for some reason attacking him.

“AAAaaaahhhh!” Only for his core to once again get seared in painful fire. 

He panted heavily, his body and core in excruciating pain as he opened one neon eye, watching as Plasmius slowly approached.

“How easy was it to train your core to reach out to mine~” Vlad jeered as he lifted the gasping teen from the floor by the throat. “Unfortunately for you, I am no longer playing these games.”

Danny gasped, struggling for air as those fingers tighten painfully around his throat. Watching helplessly as a black glove surrounded by hot majenta rose, energy creating the shape of a sword. “After I get rid of you, Maddie will finally be all mine! Bwaahahaaha!”

He jolted awake, completely drenched in sweat and struggling to breathe as his sky-blue eyes darted around his bedroom desperately.

Another nightmare…

His body shook as he stared fearfully at the wall, desperately trying to calm his heart and just breathe. But, his anxiety was too keyed up. A few tears fell from his eyes and he laid on his side, hugging his legs tightly to his chest. Rocking a little as he tried to settle down. Praying that he would not be hit with another panic attack.

It took quite a long while to calm down…

Danny started into nothing, eyes moist from shedding tears, his heart heavy. Far from wanting to go back asleep.

Terrified to go back to sleep.

His eyes gazed to the alarm clock next to his bed. Startling at what time was displayed on the device. *2:23 am*

He had gone to sleep around 1:30 am…

And he was certainly not going to fall back asleep anytime soon. That was for damn sure.

With a resigned sigh, he rose from the bed.

______________________________________________________________

Sadly, Vlad wakes up in a similar fashion to the morning before, something still not sitting right with him. He runs a hand down his face and frowns, wondering what on Earth could be bothering him.

You miss Daniel. He thinks, but waves it off, already knowing he missed the younger halfa. There was something else bothering him, but it was so faint that it was barely an itch to his skin. However, it was still there, and it was making the billionaire almost grumpy. 

Like the other morning, Maddie noticed and mewled, moving closer to nuzzle at his nose and offer a purr. Chuckling, Vlad stroked her soft fur for a while, before getting up to take a shower and get ready. 

“Tuna?” Vlad asked his cat, who immediately perked up and ran into the kitchen, tail swishing back and forth. 

…..

For what felt to be the millionth time that day, Vlad found himself letting out a deep sigh, only now remembering he had a horrendous event to show up at tonight. 

“Did you forget, sir?” Cynthia asked, subtly handing him a page on what the event was about. Glancing at it, Vlad nodded. 

“It did slip my mind, but I know the importance of it.” Vlad responded kindly, shooting her a small, gracious smile. “Thank you.” He said, motioning towards the paper. 

“Not a problem, Mayor Masters. Happy to help.” She winked, walking off to finish her own things for the day. Vlad merely glanced at the paper in his hand, humming. 

It was from six until ten, which gave him more than enough time to make it back to his mansion by ten-thirty. He pocketed the paper, only looking up when one of his deputy mayors came in. Vlad watched as he sat down with a frown. 

“One of the heads for human services just quit this afternoon.” Devon stated, frowning more. “HR is working on hiring someone, but they wanted you to also take a look at the candidates tomorrow.” He informed, sliding him the list of resumes that had been submitted.

“Ah, I see. Thank you, Mr. Harrison.” Vlad took the list, releasing yet another sigh once he was alone in his office. 

Vlad was not going to miss being Mayor.

Eventually, he packs his things and gets ready to head to the opening of the event, putting on his ‘pleasant’ or ‘charming’ persona as he’s forced to mingle and socialize for something he could care less about. 

__________________________________________

Danny sat on top of his favorite spot in Amity Park. A secluded area on top of one of the hills near the city. The area was surrounded by green vegetation. Multiple trees that provided ample shade, yet there was a nice clearing that let you watch the night sky more removed from the polluting city lights.

He had come to this spot in the hopes that he would find some semblance of peace for his anxious heart and core. All the fucking day his mind was returning to those nightmares, to the ‘what if Vlad were still evil?’, to the fear of the searing pain that lingered in his ice core.

There had been no way he could function in school today. Hell he could barely function as is, much less go through boring lectures of some materials he did not fully understand. Or go through trying to put on a brave face around his two best friends. Pretend that he was not so keyed up, on edge, fearful, distracted, exhausted, etcetera…

He had texted his friends, telling them he had to go to the Zone, which he obviously didn’t, but there was not way he could face his friends today.

Speaking of facing people…

He opened the Phantom Phone, looking at the current time. *7:47 pm*

Biting his lower lip, he fought once again against his inner turmoil.

To visit Vlad, or to not Visit Vlad? 

That was the question.

Oh fuck… Maybe he just needed some time away from the elder? Maybe the nightmares these past two nights and would go away. Besides, the weekend was coming up, and he would be refreshed and ready to face the billionaire on Monday, right?

Yeah. That’s it.

Clicking on the text option, he texted the halfa as he stared miserably into the screen. *Friends wanted to hang out, I won’t be able to attend our training session today, might be too suspicious if I decline. See you next Monday!*

It was Friday night, it was completely plausible that an 18 year-old would go out with friends, right? He thought as he rested his head on his knees, exhausted and depressed, his ice core and ghost aura dim with sadness.

Though, in all honesty, Danny did not want anybody’s company. He planned on doing the same thing he had been doing all of today and most of yesterday.

Be completely and utterly alone in his misery.

:::::::::::::::::::::

Taking a small sip of wine, Vlad felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and carefully retrieved it, heart leaping when he saw who it was from. Holding back a smile, Vlad opened the message, only to frown as a sense of Déjà vu hit him. 

Looks like there wasn’t going to be any Daniel tonight, either. 

Trying to not let those around him see the disappointment, Vlad starts on a response. 

*I understand. Hopefully, you’ll have a better time than I am tonight. Rich people don’t know how to party.* He smirked a bit at his joke, hitting send. He kept his phone close just in case Daniel was to message him again. 

For now, Vlad ignored the strong ache in his chest as he continued to socialize. 

But, all his thoughts were consumed by the missing halfa.

Danny felt the buzz in his chest, and his core’s pulse sped up slightly as slight hope rose. Could it be Vlad? Though, the feeling was tied with a little apprehension still lingering from his nightmares.

Pulling out his phone, a smile graced his lips when he saw it had indeed been from the older halfa, his smile widening as he read the text, his core fluttering. 

Somehow, just sitting here and knowing that the man had responded to his text made him feel a little bit better, his core starting to buzz in slight contentment.

His smile turned into a mischievous playful smirk as he texted a reply. *Well then, I guess since you are also rich, it means you have been depraved from the most joyous events of life itself.* His grin widened as he typed another text right after. *But never fear! I will save you from your depravity and take you out to an actual party sometime.* Clicking the send button.

Only to immediately and horribly regret it.

His neon eyes widened comically. ‘Oh my god, my god, my god, what did I JUST SAY!!’ He grabbed his snow-white hair and pulled, very much freaking out as he stared at the screen.

That did not sound like he was trying to ask the man out on a date, did it?!

‘...take you out to an actual party sometime’

Shit! Even in his head that sounded flirty.

Letting out a frustrated moan, he sunk his head between his legs in pure embarrassment, his face a dark green blush. 

Fuuuckk…. He sure hoped the older halfa did not take it that way…

:::::::::::::::

Vlad had just finished a dreadful conversation with someone on the basis of their business, barely withholding a sigh when the conversation came to an end. If it weren’t for his superb acting skills, Vlad knew his left eye would be twitching. 

Why was it that anytime an event like this occurred, people flocked to him just to talk about business? Didn’t they understand there was more to life than their trivial company? 

Of course, he was the richest man in the world, so it was more than feasible that they flocked to him to take an interest in their company. Sitting at a table, Vlad smiles when his phone vibrates again and he happily checks it, heart stuttering at the message. 

*I will save you from your depravity and take you out to an actual party sometime.* His heart and core flipped with warmth and he shifted, slowly starting a response. 

*My hero.* Vlad joked, a small smile on his face. *I am curious as to how teenagers these days ‘party’.* He teased him, unable to help himself. *Although, I am partial to simply having you with me.* He hit send before realizing the double meaning in his words. 

“Fudge buckets.” He cursed under his breath, face a dark shade of red. 

Daniel was going to hate him.

::::::::::::::::::::::

The phone in Danny’s hands vibrated, indicating the arrival of a text. Most likely, Vlad’s response and the teen wanted surely to toss the phone into oblivion than to face the man after that blunder.

But… curiosity was eating him on the inside.

He started to lift the phone, but hesitated once more.

What if Vlad was mad…

He bit his lower lip, sudden flashes of the nightmarish Vlad invading his thoughts, his core pulsing fearfully and anxiously within his chest as the hand that held the phone shook.

No. He couldn’t face it now.

Instead, he phased the phone back into his chest, deciding to go for a flight around town instead.

Phantom had a normal patrolling route he generally followed, but this time, he decided to free-fly and just go wherever he felt like, feeling a subtle pull towards a certain direction.

He didn’t pay it much mind as he followed the light pull. Noting in the distance a few bright lights put together like some sort of event was happening in one of the open-air venues.

Curious as to what event was going on, he flies in that direction.

Only to regret it immediately, halting sharply in the air as a cold chill made its way up to his throat and out of his mouth in the shape of a blue wisp. His core both thrumming in both excitement and anxiousness at the same time.

Shiiiiit! He recognized that energy…

He backpedaled as quickly as he could, hoping to hell the older halfa had not noticed.

::::::::::::::::::

Vlad had been quick to turn his phone off after his blunder, shoving it deep into his pockets in an effort to forget about what he said. God, there was no telling how Daniel would react to his message. The teenager would immediately know he was flirting, wouldn’t he? Vlad nearly grimaces at the thought and takes another sip of some expensive wine he can’t bother remembering. 

It’s something to take his mind off of his idiocracy. 

“Not enjoying the party?” A man in his late thirties asks, noticing the hidden emotion behind Vlad’s eyes. “I can’t say I blame you. Most people here have a stick up their ass the whole night.” He joked, causing Vlad’s lips to twitch lightly. 

“You clearly hate it too,” Vlad smirked, watching as the other man shrugged. 

“Yeah, but apparently political figures need to make ‘appearances' in order to stay in the now. That’s what my secretary and campaign manager say, at least.” 

As they get to talking, Vlad tenses for a moment, core pulsing at the nearby signature. 

It felt like Daniel. 

His core automatically sends another pulse, wanting to beacon the younger hero closer and have him close by.

Maybe he was losing his mind.

::::::::::::::::

Danny waited far away with bated breath. Waiting for that dreadful buzz in his chest that would indicate a text from the older halfa. He could just hear it now. That snide, malicious tone that was haunting his dreams.

*You are a terrible liar, Daniel. Just another reason you are such a disgrace.*

His core pounded rapidly and he started to tremble slightly, hand placed on his chest as he waited, distress clear on his face…

For nothing to happen.

Danny’s anxiety did not settle until after 10 minutes, finally concluding that, indeed, he had gotten away with it. 

He bit his lip. Curiosity eating at him as to the older halfa’s previous response. 

Grabbing out the Phantom Phone, he dared look at the screen.

And his lips curved into a little smile, unable to help the small chuckle at the ‘hero part’, feeling much lighter and relieved that Vlad had not been angry at him or seemed to notice the date implications from his previous text.

His eyes widened as he read the next sentence, blushing madly. *Although, I am partial to simply having you with me.* His core gave a deep pulse towards the direction of the older halfa even though the man was too far away to feel it. 

‘T-That… that almost sounded… sounded like…?’

No. 

Of course there was no way in hell that Vlad could mean it that way, but fuuuck did it send some warm shivers through his body and set his core pulsing.

Maybe he was completely overreacting in regards to the nightmares. Maybe he could face the half-

*How easy was it to train your core to reach out to mine~*

The nightmarish Plasmius voice cut through his thoughts like a knife, stopping all thoughts of him reconsidering going to Vlad’s tonight. 

He shook those thoughts and placed his phone back into his chest, then dashed off into the night. Making a mental note to stay away from that particular area tonight.


	10. Stand By Me

Phantom sat on a hill at the park in the dead of night, a green ghost puppy looking up at his master with a worried gaze. 

“Rrrufff…”

The teen put on a forced smile. “I’m okay boy…” He tried to comfort the concerned pup, who looked unconvinced.

Danny sighed, picking up a stick. “Wanna play fetch?” He used his ‘talking to a pet’ tone. “Go get it!” And he tossed the stick far away. It was a common game they played with each other, and the ghost puppy would go wild and excited, always finding the object thrown and bringing it back for another toss.

But not tonight.

Little Cujo just continued to stare at Phantom, pure concern in those beady little red eyes. “Rruufff?”

Danny sighed again, resigning to the fact that he could not fool his companion. “It's… it's nothing…” He trailed off, turning his head away sadly.

The nightmare had not been just a thing of two days. It had returned Friday and Saturday night as well.

And now it was Sunday night, past midnight, and the halfa had not gotten any more sleep than he had for the past three days, which totaled up to four hours at most. 

As one could imagine, even for a young halfa, 4 hours of sleep in the last 4 days left the teen very much exhausted.

Pair that with the paranoia about incoming threat, fear of the pain Vlad might cause him, fear that the nightmares were premonitions of the future, despair that he would lose the older halfa. On top of that he also was worried that he was starting to lose his mind, a lot of guilt at worrying his friends, lingering ghost pain from the infernal heat from his nightmares. He also felt loneliness from missing the older halfa, isolation because he couldn’t bring himself to spend time with anyone lately. 

Cujo’s ears dropped sadly and he let out a short whine, as his master would not tell him what was wrong. 

The pup could easily see that Phantom was exhausted, both emotionally and physically, the young ghost’s once bright aura was dim, the ice core not so cold or strong. 

Something was very wrong. But, the poor doggie did not know what to do.

Danny’s attention was drawn to Cujo as the pup grew to his larger size, he rose, neon eyes darted around the park for fear of an incoming threat. “What’s wrong boy?”

Cujo just calmly laid behind Phantom, curling in around his boy and sharing some of his ecto energy, the dog’s ghost core pulsing in a calming way. 

Realizing there was no imminent threat, he smiled at the loving gesture, raising a white glove to pet the dog’s side with a tender, grateful smile. “Thanks boy.”

He then laid back against his ghost canine, starting to feel sleepy, only to jolt awake in worry, fearful to fall asleep should the nightmare return.

But… He was soo tired…

And the large snout that was nuzzling his side and that gentle thrumming at his back was sooo relaxing….

Cujo watched in satisfaction as Phantom fell asleep, staying very still so as to not to disturb the young halfa. 

Shortly after, a noise to the left caught the dog’s attention, his large black ears standing at attention.

Something was there. His snout sniffed the air

And it smelled bad.

Very, very bad.

Cujo let out a trembling growl, sharp fangs on full display as it’s green-ghost fur stood on end, raising from the ground abruptly as this was an emergency and he had no time to be careful of the boy laying on him.

“Oooww!” Danny fell to the ground with a thump, holding his head in slight pain from the fall. “What the-”

But he suddenly snapped to attention, his instincts kicking in as he noted Cujo’s reaction, lifting from the ground in a flash and taking a battle pose. 

And his worry only increased when the Cujo’s form shifted, not growing in size, but bulking with muscle, two additional heads coming out as the dog’s power rose to full level.

Cujo’s Cerberus form.

Danny had only seen that form once before, back when ghost enemies were far more common. Cujo generally fought in his second form, but had only taken the cerberus form that one time.

And Danny remembered almost losing against said enemy. 

He powered up his fists with green energy, channeling a lot of power, his body keyed up and ready should he have to dodge an attack.

“We know you're there. Come out before we drag you out.” He yelled into the night.

Cujo gave an earth trembling back and dashed forward. Danny followed close behind. 

They flew lightning fast, whatever they were chasing was also fast and stayed far from their sight. 

They reached the limits of Amity Park and some bit beyond.

“Cujo, stop.” Danny called out, ceasing his flight.

The three headed ghost dog stopped his flight, but continued to glare forward, letting out a whine.

“It’s okay, boy.” Danny comforted with a pat on the side. “Maybe that powerful ghost is not hostile.”

Which was plausible. The ghost did not attack, only seeming to retreat. The ghost had not done any damage, had not terrorised humans, had not done anything malicious.

Perhaps it had just been exploring. 

It was an unsaid rule that ghosts did not enter other ghosts domain unless invited. But, Phantom did not have a domain. Sure, he protected Amity, but he did not place a marking due to his parent’s ghost shield, as his home would have been the center of his domain. So it was not as if the ghost had been trespassing.

Danny sighed. “Let’s go home. Okay?”

Before he could fly off, one of Cujo’s large snouts grabbed his arm, trying to pull him in the direction the ghost whent, giving a desperate whine. 

“No, Cujo. Let’s leave it alone, ok?” He caressed the dog’s snout. “If he comes looking for trouble we will take him down. Deal?”

But Cujo did not want to let it be. 

The three heads kept jerking in the direction of the ghost and he continued to whine, giving a bark for good measure.

Danny shook his head and turned around, flying off back to Amity Park Cujo reluctantly following close behind.

________________________________________________

  
It was the weekend now, which Vlad was thankful for. It meant there wouldn’t be piles upon piles of paperwork for him to do (for the most part) and he could simply relax without having to worry about multiple companies. After the event on Friday, Vlad didn’t dare to linger. He already felt like his mind was playing tricks on him regarding Daniel, who he hadn’t spoken to since Friday evening. 

Not that he could blame the younger halfa, at least. How could Daniel respond to the flirtatious message he had sent? Remembering what he sent to the younger halfa made Vlad groan into his hand, wincing at how obvious it had been. 

Fuck, he really hoped that Daniel didn’t hate him. 

Of course, the teenager would have told him off via a text message, but there was still that level of anxiety that was growing in Vlad’s chest. He wasn’t sure where it was originating from, but it was still there. It was constantly at the back of his mind, almost taunting him with the ambiguity. 

“Meow?” Maddie was looking at him with a sad look, not enjoying the last few days for her owner. She would rub against him each day, but there was something she noticed in his blue eyes that made the sweet feline nervous. Vlad runs a hand down his face and glances at her, smiling softly. 

“It’s-“ Before he begins his sentence, he feels the shift in the atmosphere, letting him know he has a visitor in his portal room. Turning into Plasmius, Vlad floats down to the basement, surprised to see Skulker there, looking…disturbed.

Honestly, it’s weird seeing the mech look unsettled. 

“Skulker?” Vlad becomes tangible, landing on the floor. “What can I do for you?” He asks the mech, frowning a bit when the other ghost shakes his head, the sight making his core drop. Something was wrong, wasn’t it? Skulker rarely showed up uninvited and speechless.

Immediately, Vlad starts to worry, and when he worries, his thoughts fly directly to Daniel. Was there something wrong with the other halfa? Did Skulker know something that he didn’t? The thought made him tense with worry, core wanting to reach out to the halfa that was miles away. He starts to open his mouth but closes it, deciding to wait and see what the hunter needed to tell him. It wouldn’t do well to jump to conclusions. 

“Plasmius, something isn’t right with the Ghost Zone.” Skulker says, which gains the billionaire’s attention. “I’m telling you this because you and Phantom aren’t keyed to it the same way the full ghosts are." Vlad digests that information, losing his anxiousness regarding Daniel, but soon becoming invested in the affairs of the Ghost Zone. 

“Since neither Daniel nor I are keyed to it as you say, can you explain what’s wrong?” Vlad asked, and Skulker grimaces, as if he were dreading this question from the beginning. 

“It’s hard to explain to someone who isn’t a full ghost, but most full ghosts are…almost connected to the Ghost Zone. We can feel the energy in there, and the people there.” Skulker tries to explain, but he falters, a dazed look almost appearing over his expression. “For the past two weeks, there’s been a shift in the atmosphere in the ghost zone. It feels wrong..” Vlad raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms, wishing he could understand more. 

“Wrong?” He inquired, trying to push for more information. 

“Yes. Wrong. Like there’s something out of place, or something that shouldn’t be there at all.” Skulker comments, glaring off into space. “It’s a similar feeling to when you awoke Pariah all those years ago, but different.” 

Vlad suddenly feels his anxiousness spike a bit, the memory of said ghost and the power it held making him swallow hard.

Not to mention, this would explain his unease for the past week. Vlad sighs, running a hand through his hair, unsure of where to go from there. 

“I came here to warn you.” Skulker finally says, frowning at the halfa. “You and Phantom might not be full ghosts, but you’re still one of us.” He says, disappearing not long after and leaving Vlad to contemplate the news. 

If Skulker compared this wrongness to the likes of Pariah Dark, it could only mean trouble for everyone. He sighed, not wanting to remember that particular plot that could have killed-

He grimaces, only now realizing that Daniel could have died in the ecto-skeleton suit, which makes his core tremble with suppressed guilt. 

Vlad had been so absorbed in gaining unlimited power that he had put everyone at risk, including Daniel, who had been sucked into the middle of the flight and forced to clean up his mess. 

If he had the ability, Vlad would go back in time and knock some sense into his past self. 

Or like the time he was trying to clone Daniel so he could have the “perfect” son…The memory of that plot made him nauseous, disgust forming inside his chest at the heinous plots he had once tried. 

It would have killed Daniel too, at the end. By making that clone of Daniel, it would have killed the person who meant the most to him. His stomach churns in unease, signaling that dinner was not going to happen tonight. 

He floats upstairs, mind running rampant at all the horrible things he had done in the span of two years.

Had he really changed all that much? He takes a glance at where he is now, and yes, he has changed a lot. But how? What was it that made him change?

Maybe it had been the night he tried to clone Daniel? After that night, something had bothered him to the point where he couldn’t sleep for two days. At first, he assumed it was him being angry that he had been foiled by the fourteen-year-old, but now…

He had felt horrible for what his plan could have entailed. 

Taking a deep breath, Vlad decides to try to head to bed early, lest he stay up all night with these horrible thoughts. 

___________________________________________________

  
Cujo stayed by Phantom’s side the entire time, not transforming from his cerberus stage even when Danny tried to coax him out of it, knowing that the pup could only hold that form for so long. 

It was way too late in the night at this point. Time for Danny to go home. “Well, boy. I gotta go.”

Cujo curled around Phantom suddenly, hiding him from the night air protectively.

“Okay, okay. Off boy.”

But Cujo did not move.

Danny sighed, not knowing why his dog was acting so weird. Sure, that ghost must have been strong, but he has dealt with worse. “Look, I will be at home, where there is a nice anti-ghost barrier, so I will be fine. Okay Cujo?”

The dog whined again, not letting up.

“Okay.” Danny phased through the ground, back up in front of the giant pup and looking into one of the many red eyes. “I will be okay.”

He waved. “Good night, boy!” And flew off towards his house.

Cujo followed and stood guard outside of the Fenton home. 


	11. Who Guards the Hero?

It was around five in the morning on Monday when Vlad was jostled from sleep, the presence of a powerful ghost effectively making him turn into Plasmius. He hesitates, feeling the familiarity on the signature that he can’t quite label. 

Vlad heads outside, ready to fight whatever ghost is trying to invade on his territory. Powerful magenta energy forms around his hands, but it vanishes when he sees a beast with familiar green fur. Vlad feels his jaw drop at the sight of the three-headed dog.

“Cujo?” Vlad questioned, eyes wide.

Three sets of muzzles snarl at him, the growl shaking the ground with the force of its growl, still kinda in battle mode.

Then, the jaws relax as the three blazing red eyes focus on Vlad, recognizing the man as a friend. 

Sure enough, the collar on the middle neck of the dog was indeed the same as Cujo’s, down to the D pendant insignia.

Cujo starts walking towards him, limping, trailing ectoplasm behind him as his side has a deep bloody gash on its side, one of its mauls also dripping ectoplasm. The three heads giving a low deep throated whine. 

It was hard for Vlad to picture the small, excitable puppy as this huge incarnation of Cerberus. Swallowing hard, he holds his breath as the beast-like dog growls at him, only for the dog to start whining. A little unnerved, Vlad takes notice of the slight limp and soon catches sight of the trail of ectoplasm. 

“Shit,” He curses as he slowly moves closer to get a look at the deep gash on the side of the dog, his lips turned into a frown. 

Usually, ghosts are quick to heal and self-regenerate, but the fact that Cujo is still in pain makes him wonder what ghost could have done this. 

And suddenly, he thinks of Daniel and forgets how to breathe. 

“Cujo?” Vlad says slowly, core burning with a protective fire. “Is Daniel okay?” He asks, adrenaline starting to kick in. 

What if this ectoplasm was also Daniel’s? But, it wouldn’t be like Cujo to leave the other halfa alone if he were to be in pain.

Cujo gives a loud resounding one headed bark, his other two heads growling in anger and worry. 

The large dog quickly turned around and dashed off, one head looking backward, wanting the older halfa to follow. 

Vlad doesn’t hesitate to fly after the panicked dog, his core shuddering in worry at the thought that Daniel was in trouble. He feels the fire in his core blaze brighter, worry growing into something that would terrify even Pariah Dark, if Plasmius were to face him. 

Four paws carried Cujo as he all but flew forwards in lightning speed, heading in the direction of the Fenton house. 

And stopped right in front of the Fenton anti-ghost shield, looking at Plasmius with a pleading worried red-eye gaze. 

Vlad came to a stop and looked at the anti-ghost shield, before turning human and walking through it, to face whatever issue Daniel may be struggling with. 

Once inside the shield, he turns back into Plasmius and turns intangible before flying to Daniel’s room. 

He suppresses his signature, not wanting to alert anything to his presence.

A door attached to Danny’s bedroom opens, and a figure steps out as steam comes from the open door.

Danny walked into his bedroom, towel drying his black hair with a white towel then setting it aside. 

Now that he can see the younger halfa, Vlad could now see just how exhausted and emotionally drained the other looked.

Slight darkness around the eyes indicated lack of sleep, his gaze quite unfocused. Movements were slow, uncoordinated and sluggish, but not the kind from having just woken up

This was the kind that spoke of sleepless nights and frequent emotional anxiousness. 

What was perhaps even more alarming, was that the normally bright pulsing ice core was dim and pulsing slowly.

Danny flopped on the bed with a deep sigh, and ran his hands across his face tiredly as he stifled a yawn. 

Then picking up the phone, he turned to lay on his back, absentmindedly looking through a forum discussion app, not really looking at anything in particular, just passing the time cause his mind was not in any space to do much of anything else. 

While jerking awake, shaking his head every time he might start to nod off, purposely not trying to fall asleep.

If Vlad had been worried before, he was internally panicking now, his core fluttering with worry as he looked at the younger halfa. There was something clearly wrong with him and while he wasn’t sure what was going on, it looked like Daniel was suffering from sleep deprivation.

The dark circles under those blue eyes didn’t look right on him, and the worst part? Those blue eyes weren’t bright like they used to be. They were dull and lacking emotion behind them, which wasn’t sitting well with Vlad at all.

It’s like he’s forcing himself to stay awake. Vlad realized, watching the younger shake himself awake more than once. 

The unsettling feeling in his stomach returns when he thinks of Cujo and how badly the dog was injured. The ghostly dog wouldn’t have dragged Vlad all the way over here for nothing, and while he can’t be sure, he thinks the incidents are somehow connected. 

Making a decision, Vlad phases in and makes himself visible. 

“Daniel?” Vlad looks to the younger, not wanting to startle him. “We have a problem.” He frowns, looking over the other. He wonders if he even knows about his dog. Unlikely, because knowing Daniel, the halfa would have been there with Cujo.

Vlad’s intention had not been to startle the young halfa, but he epically failed.

Danny gave a startled cry, dropped the phone, and fell off of the side of the bed with a heavy thump.

Scrambling up and half panicking at the thought of a random intruder in his room, he pulled forth his transformation, the once super bright rings a dull white light as each rose and fell at a slightly slower rate than usual. 

Only to freeze when he saw who it was.

Slightly dull neon eyes widened in fear and terror, taking a slight step back only to have his legs hit the side of the bed, causing the teen to stumble slightly, his coordination far from normal from all the exhaustion. Then the teen frowned in confusion, his mind catching on that this was not likely one of his nightmares, but still fearful nonetheless.

“V-Vlad??” He asked nervously, eyes very much distrustful of the older halfa before him, standing in a clearly agitated pose that indicated he might bolt or attack at the slightest provocation. His core pulsing in agitation.

Vlad felt his heart start cracking at the sight of Daniel so timid around him, a cold chill that didn’t belong to the other halfa making him shiver. There was terror in those eyes that stabbed at his heart, a pit forming in his stomach at the way Daniel backed away from him. Daniel’s ice core pulsing against his didn’t feel right, it was if…

It was almost like Daniel was scared of him.

That hurt more than Vlad cared to admit. 

“Little badger?” Vlad cautiously changed forms, reverting back to his human self in hopes that would ease the other halfa. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but I don’t think you’re safe here.” Vlad spoke slowly, sending a comforting wave of warmth to the other. 

Danny flinched at the warm pulse, the ice core slightly coiling in on itself in fear, and Vlad could feel that the teen’s core had been harmed. 

A lot.

The ice core then swirled a little in the comforting warmth, taking a moment. Then, quite timidly, sent a responding pulse back, very cautiously, almost as if expecting to be burned.

Vlad frowned in worry at the ice core’s timid response. “Cujo was attacked by some powerful ghost…and he came to get me and brought me here.” Vlad’s gaze turned especially serious. “I have reason to believe that there’s something out there, Daniel.” 

And suddenly, Vlad was reminded of the conversation he had with Skulker, and his protective instincts rose.

Danny’s eyes immediately widened with worry. “Is Cujo okay? Where is he?” Concern about his darling pup and protective nature overriding whatever fear the teen displayed before. Always putting others before himself. “Who attacked him?! Where is he?”

Phantom looked deep within Vlad’s sapphire eyes, his energy rising and ready to battle the ghost who dared hurt his Cujo.

A thought hit him as his eyes widened. ‘C-Could it have been… that ghost from earlier?’

Shit… If it was…

He should have been there! Should have stayed with Cujo and protected him from whatever that ghost was! Instead he just… abandoned the poor pup… Left him to fend for himself…

Overwhelmed with guilt, he stepped back in shock, looking down. “Is…” He barely whispered, eyes starting to water. “I-Is he… okay?...”

His fists clenched as anger started to bubble up. 

Vlad knew the ‘scary’ eyes, but this time, there was something about them that actually made Vlad uncomfortable. There was something desperate and crazed in there, and as someone who used to spend too much time looking in the mirror, it reminded him of who he was two years ago. 

“Last I checked, he was outside the anti-ghost shield.” Vlad responded calmly, gently offering another pulse of warmth to Daniel, sucking in a breath at how…damaged the younger halfa’s core felt. It made him on edge, the thought of anyone hurting Daniel made his fire blaze protectively. 

“And I don’t know who attacked him. He showed up injured and urged me to come here.” Vlad admitted, feeling the need to help Daniel increase. “He had a deep gash on his side, but he’ll be okay.” He soothed, offering another small pulse. 

“Daniel, please…I would prefer it if you returned to the mansion with me. Something is out there, and it’s powerful.” Vlad mumbled. “If it was able to inflict that much damage on Cujo when the dog is in this…beast mode, there’s no telling what the ghost, or whatever it is could do.” 

Vlad pleaded with the younger, the apprehension clear on his face. 

He wasn’t one to show weakness or fear, but Vlad knew something wasn’t right.

::::::::::::

Danny pretty much ignored everything Vlad said after ‘He is outside the ghost shield.’ Too worried about Cujo (and too mentally tired) to really think about anything else. He shifted through his pillow, grabbing a small device of which he pressed a button, turning off his parent’s ghost shield. 

Phantom flew outside to his injured dog's side, Cujo quickly raising his black ears and whining worriedly at his master. 

“Hey there…” He gently caressed the large snout. “I’m here. Nothing is going to hurt you again.” His white-gloved hand gently checking around for wounds. “I won’t let them.” He said with determination.

Using his other hand, he grabbed a tiny box from inside his chest. “Okay boy, I’m going to need you to return to your puppy state, okay?” He cooed trying to get Cujo to become smaller so he could tend to the wounds in need of care.

Cujo whined, but obeyed, shrinking until he was a tiny pup, whining from the pain. “It’s okay, boy. Danny kneeled as he opened the small box and started tending to the pup’s wound, neon eyes darting around on occasion in case the threat returned.

Vlad felt his heartstrings pull when Daniel flew to Cujo, reminding himself of the way he cared for Maddie when his feline was ill. He transformed back into Plasmius, watching over the two as Daniel worked, allowing his signature to resurface and keep all other ghosts away. 

“You’re more than welcome to keep him at my mansion, if you want. It’s one of the safest spots in the city.” Well, it WAS the safest spot in the city, but he also didn’t want to pressure Daniel into doing something. 

Danny felt his heart warm at the elder’s offer regarding keeping Cujo at his mansion as he continued to tend to Cujo’s wounds. “Thank you.” He said, deeply appreciative that his precious pup would have a safe place to stay.

He had always worried about the little guy, everytime he had to leave the poor puppy out in the cold. All because his parents would not react well at all to a ghost dog in their house.

Hell, he wasn’t entirely sure they would react well to a half ghost son living underneath their house…

His ice core sent out an appreciative pulse towards the older halfa, quickly after retreating back in apprehension, still cautious and fearful. 

Vlad waited until the other was done, catching onto the way the halfa moved sluggishly, like he was going to pass out at any point. Vlad frowned and looked around for another couple of minutes, before hovering down to where the two ghosts were. 

He couldn’t let this go on for anymore, not when Daniel looked ready to pass out. 

“Daniel, please. Come back with me.” He pleaded, starting to become desperate with his worry, looking over the younger halfa with a frown. “I’m worried about you,” Vlad says, core pulsing in worry.

Danny was a bit taken aback by Vlad’s worry, raising his eyes to meet blood-red eyes.

But the red was warm, soft… gentle.

Nothing like the reddish inferno of his nightmares.

He lowered his gaze,slowly picking up Cujo up in his arms in a gentle hold. 

His core gave a slight pulse, a mixture of worry, and yet also of hope? 

A part of him wanted to go with Vlad, to remember those warm comfortable embrace of that calming heat, before it had been marred by his incessant nightmares. 

God, he was soo exhausted...

“I-I can’t stay.” He looked away. “I… have school today…” He finished lamely. 

Vlad frowned at the clear dismissal and shook his head, knowing he had to do something to make Daniel stay with him. He wasn’t about to let the younger halfa be on his own for the next few days, not when the ice core was as damaged as it was. 

Speaking of the damaged ice core, why was it like the core had been burned? That thought alone nearly made him growl in fury, ready to strangle whatever ghost that had dared to harm the beautiful core. 

Danny rose to the air, that action sluggish. “Let’s take Cujo to where he’ll be safe”. And started flying towards Vlad’s territory, flight pattern unsteady, while slightly nodding off as he fought sleep along the way.

_______________________________________________

  
Down an unassuming alleyway, a figure stood in the shadows, just outside of the halfa's ghost sensory range. Dangerous aura burning, hellish red eyes flashing as it watched the three ghosts fly off, furious at failing to kill the ghost dog. The mutt’s only saving grace had been the Cerberus transformation, a form previously unknown to this ghost. 

And now that mut had gotten the older halfa involved. 

Wite fangs glinted in the moonlight as a malicious frown stretched on the hidden figure’s face. Well then, he would just have to do something about Plamius' intervention...

________________________________________________

Goten Son Ten: Hey all! I wanted to invite yall Pompous Pep lovers to the Pompous Pep discord I am Admin in! :) 

We have fun Pompous Pep discussions, share art, Have other Beta your Work, explore fun what-ifs, roleplays, get fanfic recommendations, join seasonal events (Holliday event is coming soon!), bounce story ideas, cute emojis, and more! The Pompous Pep server invite is https://discord.gg/u6cSG5b on Discord. 

(This pic made by our talented Admin Plasmius, who also does cute emojis!)


	12. Care and Safety

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

While Vlad knew his main concern should be on the injured Cujo, Vlad couldn’t stop worrying about the exhausted halfa, watching the unusual flight pattern. Carefully, Plasmius moved closer to get a better look at Phantom, frowning more when he sees him doze off a few times. 

Fuck that. Daniel was staying at his mansion, whether he wanted to or not. 

It might damage their truce, but he’d rather have a damaged truce than to have the halfa attacked on his way back.

That was assuming Daniel could even fly back, given the way the younger couldn’t fly in a straight line. It wasn’t a long fly to his mansion, but when they landed, Vlad was quick to gently wrap an arm around Daniel, his core pulsing with comfort.

“You can barely fly, Daniel.” He whispered softly, offering his warmth. “I’m not letting you leave without me.” Vlad mumbled; concern written all over his face as he looks down at the younger. He tries to convey his protection and worry, hoping that Daniel will understand he wants to help.

Danny closed his eyes, relieved to be done with flying for a short break. The sudden arm around his waist felt soo nice, and he unconsciously leaned into the older halfa, closing his eyes as the gentle warmth passed though his body, slightly calming the anxious core.

God, he just want to sleep against that wonderful warmth…

“...I’m fine.” He declared none too assuredly, reopening his eyes and smirking. “After all, I’m the guy who beat Pariah. Lack of sleep has nothing on me.”

Though, his confident demeanor sorta faltered when he looked at the look of pure worry on Vlad’s face. ‘H-He’s really worried about me…’ He realized with a start.

Man… He must look like a wreck if his ex-nemesis looked that worried about him…

He lowered his gaze, avoiding those worried red ones. A look that just didn’t suit the powerful, confident Plasmius.

*You cause soo much trouble to those around you, Daniel. However do you live with yourself?*

Danny bit his lip and grimaced, remembering those malicious hateful words from his nightmares as his core gave a pained shudder at the memory, getting a little agitated once more. 

The poisonous words were ringing all too true at the moment. Hell, he was even bothering Plasmius, of all people.

He really was pathetic, wasn’t he?

Straightening, he moved out from Vlad’s arm, even though everything in him wanted to press even closer. To lose himself in that inviting heat and stay there forever. Instead, he began to walk towards the mansion while carrying his injured pup. 

He looked back at the older halfa with the best smile and cheered-up voice he could muster, not wanting to worry Plasmius more than he already was. “You worry too much, fruitloop. I’ll be fine!” He gave the man a smirk. “I’m Danny Phantom after all. I’ve been doing this for over four years now”.

Vlad doesn’t believe Daniel for a moment, core pulsing out towards the younger halfa to try and comfort him and tempt him to stay. Even a blind person could tell how tired the other ghost was, and it bothered Vlad to no end. It reminded him of the time he pushed his ghost body to the brink in order to see how long he could go without sleep-

That realization hits him like a ton of bricks, core freezing in worry. That’s why he had caught onto the symptoms as quickly as he had…

It was clear that the other hadn’t been getting any sleep in the previous days, and Vlad has to wonder if that was why their training sessions were called off. Daniel could barely fly earlier, which meant most things they did during their training was out of the question. 

“I might worry too much, but I have good reason to.” He says gently, core sharing more of his warmth with the younger halfa. He’s willing to do whatever he can to protect him, even if that means following Daniel home tonight and staying there. 

Vlad isn’t one to panic or overly worry about something, but this situation is different. There is reason to be concerned, and he doesn’t plan on sitting on it like he usually would have. 

He was a strategizer at heart, always thinking of the pros and cons. 

But not now. Not when it seemed to come to Daniel, at least. 

Danny entered the mansion, heading up the large stairs, heading straight to

He faltered in his steps, suddenly realizing just where he had been about to go. 

Vlad’s bedroom.

It had been out of instinct, the main room of the older halfa feeling the most secure and comfortable, his core especially drawn to that special spot.

Cursing his near blunder, he entered the door that was right beside the master bedroom. 

He placed Cujo on the bed, sitting beside the bed close to the resting pup. Removing his white glove, he gently began to caress behind Cujo’s small black ears, taking extra care not to touch any injured area while gazing at the puppy with a worried and tired gaze.

Vlad catches the way Daniel reaches over to slowly pet the puppy, a pang of pain going out to the younger halfa. If Maddie had been hurt, he would have been just as worried. 

Danny continued his slow, gentle petting of the green fur. A calm settling in his mind and heart.

It felt soo nice to be here…

His ice core started to get more trusting of the gentle warmth that was surrounding it, providing a deep sense of comfort and safety it had not felt in days. Now starting to send little cold pulses back to the receptive fire core.

Phantom closed his eyes for the briefest of moments, letting himself finally take a moment to just relax and take in a safety that he had not felt in so long.

God, he wanted to stay so badly…

And sleep. Hmmmm that would be nice-

He snaps back awake, his core pounding in anxiety once more as he realizes he almost fell asleep. 

No. He was terrified of falling asleep again. That blazing infernal core and hellish eyes haunting him even in his waking hours.

Vlad couldn’t begin to express how relieved he was to feel the ice core pulsing back in response to him, disheartened to feel how weak it was compared to usual. Daniel was a being who was meant to be exuberant and full of life, not someone who could barely sit still for a few moments without falling asleep from exhaustion. It almost breaks his heart seeing the other halfa like this and he wants nothing more than to be there for him, to fix all the issues surrounding the younger. 

He helped Daniel make the dog comfortable on the bed, careful to not aggravate the stitched injuries. He glances at Daniel, offering even more warmth in hopes that the halfa can tell how worried he is.

“I understand if you don’t want to stay here, but I’m not leaving you alone, Daniel. If you wish to return home, I will accompany you.” His tone was serious as he looked at the younger, providing more warmth that wouldn’t burn the other halfa.

Danny looked up at the older halfa with a slight frown. His core tightened painfully at the look of worry once more on Vlad’s face, knowing he was the cause of it. He could also see clear determination in the older halfa’s red gaze, knowing full well how hard-headed and stubborn the man was. Plasmius was not going to take ‘no’ for an answer. 

He sighed in defeat. Well, if he was going to be a burden, might as well try to be less of one as possible.

“Okay.” He relented with a tired expression. “I will stay for today.”

Vlad feels relief beyond measures to hear that Daniel is choosing to stay with him, where it is safe, making his core relax and flutter happily.

“But.” Danny quickly adds.

The teen’s face turns into a smirk, feeling slightly better, but still putting on a brave face. “That just means you will have no choice but to cook all three meals. And maybe some cookies.” He gave a playful wink. 

Vlad chuckled. “Why am I not surprised there are conditions?” He smirked, teasing the younger halfa, having no issue with cooking for his two guests. 

“Meow?” Maddie cautiously walked into the room, sniffing the air as she hopped onto the counter, looking at Cujo with a curious gaze. She makes her way over to the injured pup, carefully nuzzling his face and offering a small purr as she tries to comfort the dog. She curls up close by, purring softly as she watches over him. 

Cujo’s black ears lift, and he tilts his little head curiously as he looks at the approaching Maddie. His wispy tail wags joyously at the kitty’s attention, giving one gentle lick to her head, then leaning against the soft white fur happily, enjoying the rumble of the purring.

Danny smiled tenderly, taking a moment to give a stroke to the kind Maddie. “You’re so sweet, aren’t you girl?” He said gently before resuming to pet Cujo again, still feeling the fatigue waying on him as he continued to battle sleep-deprivation.

Maddie merely gave a purr in response to the gentle petting, content to curl up beside the injured dog and offer her warmth. She gazed at the pup in curiosity, purring deeper at the gentle lick to her face. Maddie closes her eyes when Cujo rests against her, quickly falling asleep at the warmth and comfort from the dog, and the comfortable bed. 

Danny smiles fondly at the scene between the two sweet pets. Then he notices the time out of the corner of his eyes, seeing that it is close to breakfast time. “Speaking of food. You hungry, Cujo?”

Cujo, gave a happy yip, though less energetic than usual, his wispy tiny tail was wagging like crazy and his panting tongue began to slobber the sheets.

Danny gave one last pet behind the ears before stretching his sore and tight joints, rings encircling his form and changing him back to human turning to face Vlad once again. “Well, you heard the boy. Let’s go off to make breakfast!” He said enthusiastically, working to keep a positive energy while also quite famished himself.

Vlad turns back into his human half as well, raising an eyebrow at the thought of Daniel trying to cook in his condition. 

“Are you sure you want to help cook breakfast? I can make it and bring it to you?” He questions, reaching over to slowly stroke Daniel’s dark hair, unable to resist anymore.

“Mmmmnnnn…” Danny’s eyes close and leans into the gentle caress, his lips part slightly as he unintentionally lets out a pleased moan, his body slightly sagging at the soft contact to his sensitive scalp. His ice core humming contentedly, settling a little more calmly.

Oh… that felt so nice beyond words…

His fatigue starts to weigh heavier on him as he starts to lean even more towards the older halfa. 

Then suddenly flinches, startling himself awake as he realizes he had been about to fall asleep, his fear returning as he realized that if he didn’t start doing something soon, he would, in all likelihood, fall asleep.

While he had been feeling drowsy at home or in other places, here, in Vlad’s territory, he was finding that his tiredness weighed much more heavily on his poor exhausted body.

He was always on edge. That was a given. Being Phantom meant he could never let his guard down, should some ghost decide to try and harm him or the city. Even at home, underneath the anti-ghost shield, he has never really felt safe, and that had nothing to do with ghosts. 

He was constantly afraid of his own parents. Of what they might do to him should they ever find out he was Phantom. Hell, even without that, the weapons they constantly made were dangerous to him in either form. Even if he helped build some of those weapons and modified everything he could, his parents would sometimes create something without his knowledge that would harm him in one way or another. Many times he had to conduct emergency treatment because of some weapon his parents created without his knowledge, or just plain attacked him with some he was not able to modify in time. 

There had been nowhere he had felt safe, until recently.

There was something special. Unique, about Plasmius’ domain that made him automatically lower his defenses. It was a place where he experienced comfort and safety. The only place he felt he could be himself without being harmed, which was quite strange when you consider that they had been enemies in the past. 

Hell, even before the day they made their truce, there was always something about Vlad’s territory that always brought the teen back and made him kind of want to hang around. 

Somehow, it always called to him, even then. 

And that tranquility and comfort was very dangerous right now since he needed to stay awake, so he definitely had to do something.

Even though it went against everything his body and core wanted to do, he regretfully pulled away from the warm hand that had softly touched his hair, his ice core giving a forlorn pulse.

::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad’s breath hitches lowly in his throat the sound Daniel lets out, flushing a bit as the other leans further into his touch. The ice core pulses against his own, and he feels relieved to know that it is slowly getting better. 

His mind flashes to inappropriate places, imagining what else he could do to drag those sweet sounds from Daniel’s lips-

Quickly backtracking, Vlad focuses on the more pressing matter, which is Daniel himself. 

Although, it’s easy to truly see how exhausted Daniel is, there is something else going on. If this simple touch could make the teenager nearly fall asleep against him, Vlad could only wonder at the possibilities. What if he dragged Daniel into his arms and laid down like that? He imagined the halfa resting his head on his warm chest, deep in sleep….

Flushing at his thoughts, Vlad feels a pang of worry go through his chest as he watches Daniel jerk himself awake, as if he doesn’t want to sleep. There is fear behind those blue eyes that make him falter, something not adding up. 

It’s almost as if Daniel is afraid to fall asleep? And given the fact that the halfa obviously needs to get some rest, it puts Vlad on edge. There was something that was stopping Daniel from sleeping, and he would make sure to put a brutal end to it.

He continues to stroke Daniel’s soft hair for now, mind racing. He wonders what the other is thinking about, he wonders why Daniel is forcing himself to stay away, and he wonders why the other is pushing himself so hard. 

It breaks his heart the more he watches this beautiful teenager, too much changing in the span of a single week. Core pulsing towards the cold, Vlad resists the need to pull the halfa closer and into his willing chest, wanting to wrap his entire body around the other. 

Before he can even contemplate fulfilling his want, the other halfa was pulling away from him, leaving an empty space that feels like an eternal vastness. Deciding to not pull him back, Vlad lets it happen and forces himself to get up to make the food. 

Ignoring his unhappy core, Danny took a short moment to stretch, then he realized Vlad had asked a question before those delightful fingers of his had carded through his hair. He gave the older halfa a grin. “If you cook breakfast alone, how can I make sure you make Cujo’s food the way he likes it?” He asked as he started to walk out the room. 

“Very well,” Vlad teases the other, giving in to his offer to help. Vlad glances at his cat, smiling a bit at the scene as he headed after Daniel.

Before Danny makes it out the bedroom door, he turns his head to look back at the protective cat with a soft smile. “Take care of him while we're gone, ok?” He said in a gentle tone.

“Meow,” Maddie purrs in response to Danny, nuzzling Cujo gently and purring softly.

Smiling at the adorable scene, he turns and heads down to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, he began to sift through some of the cupboards. “Where is your coffee?” 

As Vlad enters his kitchen after the teen, he can’t stop from frowning when the other mentions coffee. 

Not like you need some, Daniel. Vlad thinks, planning on getting the other to sleep. 

“I don’t think you need coffee, Daniel.” He moves closer, touching his shoulder gently. “I want you to try and sleep after breakfast.” He let his gaze linger, thumb slowly rubbing at the shoulder. “I can tell you haven’t been getting enough.”

Danny’s core pulses happily at the halfa’s contact on his arm, sending a small appreciative pulse to the older halfa. 

Though, the teen flinches and a bit of panic enters his sky-blue eyes at the mention of sleep, his core retreating in fear. A flashing image of that malicious smirk… the infernal eyes…

He quickly covers up his reaction with a forced smile and forced laugh, smiling way too wide. “Hahaha! Nah. Too much to do to sleep!” He turns, effectively sliding away from the older halfa’s touch, and continues his search for the coffee. “I’ll sleep later… There!” He declares triumphantly as he grabs out the coffee grinds.

He looks around the kitchen until he finds something that looks like a coffee machine and starts making coffee. 

Vlad knows it’s a useless endeavor to stop Daniel from staying awake, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to try his hardest later. For now, he will back off and concede defeat, knowing the other was just as stubborn as he was half the time. He lets Daniel pull away from him again, deciding it would be better to put some distance between them for a few moments, even if his core absolutely loathes being away. Offering a few more pulses of warmth, Vlad also takes a step in the opposite direction, grabbing some utensils from the cabinet. 

Once Danny got the machine started doing its work on its own, the young halfa made his way to the large fridge, looking for something in the freezer. “Do you not have some pre-made meatballs?” He asks, as he fails to find some sort of easy to heat meat in the freezer. 

“Premade meatballs?” Vlad raises an eyebrow as he glances at Daniel, giving him a fond look. Surely the other halfa should know by now that he makes most things from scratch and not from packages.

“Cujo loves meatballs.” Danny’s face starts to fall again, his eyes downcast as guilt washes over him. “C-Cujo loves to play fetch with meatballs.” He snorted. “Well, maybe not fetch as he never brings them back, but he loves to chase and eat them…”

Something the pup could not do because of his injury.

Because he had not protected him.

Cujo nearly died. The ghost pup had warned him about a powerful ghost that very same night! Begged him to stay and not leave him alone and what did he do? 

Abandon him…

*Useless waste of space. I must have been mad to have ever taken an interest in you, Daniel*

Those words rung in his head, every word feeling like a knife to the heart. And it wasn’t just the words that were hurtful.

It was that it came from his nightmare Vlad…

The man who he, even thought would not admit it aloud, looked up to. The older halfa who was someone to surpass in strength and power. The one person in this entire world and the next who could possibly understand all the struggles that came with being a half ghost hybrid. 

The man who he desperately wanted to acknowledge him as an equal.

Danny leaned his forehead against the freezer door, trying to hide his face from the older halfa as his shoulders twitched and he clenched his teeth in frustration, desperately trying to fight back tears. ‘Why am I so useless?!’

:::::::::::::::::::::

“I can easily make some homemade meatballs, if you’d prefer-“ Vlad carries off, noticing an odd look on the younger's face, which lingers there for far too long. 

He doesn’t date utter a word, his keen eyes trying to catch onto any minuscule reaction Daniel might show on his face. There is a hidden pain beneath, and Vlad knows he needs to do something about it, but how? He has no idea yet. 

That’s when Vlad notices the look of guilt flash across the teenager's face and stay there, almost like the guilt is eating him up. 

The only reason he knows that look so well is because he had seen it on his own face not too long ago. When he thinks back to the cloning scheme, the guilt is always there. He shoves it away, needing to worry more about Daniel rather than a failed plot that happened over three years ago. 

Heart constricting when he watches Daniel lean into the freezer, Vlad stops what he’s doing and joins him.

“Daniel, I need you to listen to me.” Vlad’s voice is as gentle as ever, careful as his words turn softer. “You’re not to blame for this.” His core sends wave after wave of warmth. “I know you may feel responsible, but none of this is your fault.” Vlad promises. 

He can feel the aggravation from the other core, so all he does is offer more comfort from his own, hoping his warmth can help the younger. He isn’t sure, but it almost feels like the beautiful halfa in front of him is breaking down, and Vlad almost feels helpless to stop it. 

But he’s going to give it his all. He wouldn’t be Vlad Masters if he were to simply give up. 

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Vlad mumbled, referring to Daniel’s avoidance of sleep. “But I will always be here if you need me.” He whispers, unaware that he had reached out to take Daniel’s hand with his own and intertwine their fingers.

Danny closes his eyes as the warm pulses wash over him, almost drowning out the cruel thoughts and memories of his nightmares and pushing away some of his guilt. The older halfa’s words rain down on him, and the teen looks up, getting lost into those deep ocean eyes.

It… It was almost as if the man could feel his pain. As if Vlad had felt the same self-doubt and large weight of guilt. 

His core pulsed, accepting and wrapping around the other halfa’s warmth, wanting to connect on a deeper level.

There was that warm, strange feeling again, far more stronger than it had been before. And it only continued to grow as he looked into that familiar face. That bit of hair on that chiseled chin, those strong cheekbones, that pointed nose, the smooth as silk silver hair that pared so beautifully with those deep eyes as dark and deep as the ocean itself.

Those soft lips...

He swallowed hard, his eyes staring at those lips transfixed. He wanted to kiss the man…

The teen hesitated, suddenly realizing he had been leaning forwards and quickly backpedaled before he made a fool of himself. Last thing he wanted was for Vlad to pull back in disgust. 

*You think I would ever consider the likes of you? A worthless child who can’t even do simple math? Who could never measure up to me?*

He tensed as that voice from his nightmares returned, but quickly brushed it off. ‘It is only a nightmare.’ He mentally repeated the mantra. Normally with very little results. 

But now, surrounded by the comforting, calming warmth emanated by the older halfa, those mantra words felt stronger. More true somehow.

It was only a dream. There was no way this Vlad. The real Vlad, would say such malicious things to him. Things that never had come from the elder’s mouth even when they had been enemies at each other’s throat a couple of years back. 

His Vlad was not like that.

His Vlad. His cheeks tinted at the thought, those words taking on a more intimate meaning than he had previously intended.

But, regardless, Vlad would never in a million years react well to his attraction. That was for damn sure.

His sky-blue eyes darted to the side, avoiding the man’s gaze. 

“... thanks…” 

His blush only got worse when he realized that they were holding hands, and he had been gently squeezing back. He slightly hunched his shoulders in embarrassment, but far from wanting to break the contact as he fell into silence. Very much unsure of what else to say or do. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad felt his blue eyes lock with another set of blue eyes, unable to look away from the searching baby blue irises. It felt like there was a charge in the air that kept them in that position, a magnetic force that somehow drew them closer and closer…

He holds his breath as they gaze at each other, swearing on his life and afterlife that Daniel is staring at his lips. 

But that can’t be right, can it?

There’s no way in all nine circles of Hell that Daniel feels that way about him, right?

His breath catches when he notices the slight movement, as if Daniel had been leaning forward to…

His core pulses in pleasure at the prospect of what nearly happened, the warmth temping Daniel closer. Vlad flushes from the heat flaring in not only his core, but the position they had nearly been in. He swallows hard, trying to fight the rising heat that threatens to consume him. 

Fuck. 

It takes all of his willpower to not grab Daniel’s chin and tilt it up towards him, so he can capture those lips in a sweet kiss. 

He can’t do it. Not yet. 

Not when the teenager is this exhausted, or under this much pressure. 

“It’s not a problem, Daniel.” Vlad whispers softly, looking to their intertwined hands, realizing that Daniel has yet to move away. He sucks in a breath, feeling a bit of courage start mustering in his core. 

He raises Daniel’s hand up and places a soft kiss to one of the knuckles, looking into the blues eyes with his own that was full of love and adoration. 

Danny’s eyes widened slightly and he sucked in a breath, lips parting. Completely taken aback by the soft pressure of lips on his hand, his heart pounding a million miles an hour as he forgot how to breathe.

He just stood there, staring into those blue pools that gave him a look that made his heart flutter and butterflies dance in his stomach and daaaaamn...

“Uuuuummmm….” Completely at a loss for words.

He has to be more tired than he thought. He’s starting to hallucinate...

D-Did… did he just imagine the whole thing?

But that look… and why did it make him feel…

Oh.

Does he… care about Vlad in more than just physical attraction??

His blush now a deep red all the way to his ears, he shyly averted his gaze, looking down to their connected hands as he did not know what to do or say, still unsure if this is even real or a dream. An actual good dream for once. His core dancing and jumping for joy and sending cooled pulses towards the older halfa. 

“...”

He was afraid to say anything that might break this wonderful dream.

Sucking in a breath at the numerous pulses from the ice core, the billionaire restrains himself from pressing against the younger and kissing him, offering his own happy pulses as well. 

Danny gives a light shudder, feeling the warmth thrums reverberating against his core, his own vibrating pleasantly as the feeling traveled through his spine. He swallowed thickly, remembering that night where Vlad had placed his palm gently on his chest and purposely sent the wonderful heat straight to his core, the memory making him feel a little hot, and not due to the heat. 

‘That’s right.’ He recalled. ‘Vlad said his core was also acting up…’

But, what did it mean?

Sensing the confusion emanating from the younger halfa, Vlad knows he’ll have to eventually let go of Daniel’s warm hand, despite feeling at ease when he holds it. His ego does flare the slightest at having made his companion speechless, wondering how the younger would have reacted to a full-blown kiss instead. 

He doesn’t dwell on those thoughts for too long, needing to get his mind focused on other things. Such as meatballs for Cujo since those appear to be his favorite food. Vlad debates on making something for Maddie as well, figuring she would be getting hungry around this time. 

"Now, how about we start on those meatballs for Cujo?" He mumbles, thumb carefully caressing the knuckle he just kissed.

Danny averted his gaze from their joined hands, looking to the floor, slightly at a loss with a small blush. “... okay.”

When Vlad glances at Daniel, his core gives a pleased pulse at the beautiful flush on the younger’s face, catching onto the way he averts his gaze from their intertwined hands. Smiling a bit, Vlad resists the urge to lay another kiss to the soft skin, choosing instead to let his fingertips trail over the palm of his hand for a moment. 

Against his wishes, Vlad lets the hand go, not without giving a small squeeze that promised more. 

Danny’s attention returned to their joined hands with the squeeze, the older halfa letting go. Those darn butterflies continuing to flutter and his hand was now tingling pleasantly, though feeling a bit cold without the warmth of the elder’s hand.

“Does he prefer spicy or regular meatballs?” Vlad asked, rolling up his sleeves as he got prepared.

Danny looked away from his hand when Vlad spoke, quickly lowering his own hand quickly as if he had not been gazing at it for a few seconds. 

“Uh-hh…” He refocused on the current situation at hand, his protective nature for his darling pup returning and taking a moment to think. “W-Well, Cujo has never tried spicy meatballs before, though he loves spicy jerky sticks…” He looked at Vlad with a smile, his core sending a pleased chill at the older halfa, happy that the billionaire was looking out for his darling ghost pup. “Both would be a nice surprise, I’m sure.”

Filing away the fact that Cujo liked jerky sticks, Vlad opened his refrigerator and pulled out some fresh beef, unwrapping the package and cutting the amount needed. He also got out two eggs, garlic, soft breadcrumbs, and some parmesan cheese. 

He had learned to make meatballs from scratch after watching his mother when he was younger. It was one of the only things he had been able to make prior to meeting Jack and Maddie Fenton. His mother had taught him some of her Russian recipes, but many of them had been lost after she died. 

There were a few recipes he could remember, but this one was one of his favorites growing up. His father had even enjoyed them, which was saying something. Getting that bitter man to like anything was a miracle. 

A sound from the further counter caught Danny’s attention and he realized that the sound indicated that coffee was made. Oh, yeah. He had been making coffee to keep himself awake.

Not that he really felt sleepy at the moment. Too much adrenaline from that encounter…

Danny made his way over to grab a cup, then another. Maybe Vlad would like some coffee too?

Actually. What kind of coffee did the man drink?

His mood dropped a little. He has known Vlad for about 4 years, and he didn’t even know what kind of coffee the man liked.

Well. No time like the present to change that. 

“Uummm… “ 

Though he was still a little shy from the earlier encounter. “H-How do you like... your... coffee?”

Vlad stirs it until it is mixed well, sprinkling a bit of seasoning into the mixture, only stopping when Daniel speaks up. He turns to gaze at him, offering a small smile at the question.

“Black, please.” Vlad mumbles, allowing his gaze to linger on the younger, a sense of domesticity swirling in his chest at the image. He smiles a bit more, finally turning away to finish the meatballs by rolling them into balls and placing them on a baking sheet to bake for fifteen minutes. 

Danny smiled as he poured the coffee, a thought crossing his mind at the type of coffee the elder liked. A thought that he would have teased Vlad about before. ‘Black as your soul, eh?’

But after the way the man had started to treat him since that first truce day the joke really didn’t fit. Vlad had been treating him so nicely, even going so much as to take care of him when he had that embarrassing panic attack, he thought as a light blush rose on his cheeks and his core gave out a happy little pulse towards the other halfa before he could stop it. 

Danny was soo thankful that his back was to the older halfa as he finished pouring the coffee. 

Oh, and that look from just a bit ago…

That look while Vlad had gently held his hand.

And had placed a soft kiss on it.

Pushing those thoughts aside for now, so he wouldn’t be as red as a tomato, he used his ice powers to cool his own cup, then drank all the coffee in one go. His fatigue had been starting to become difficult to manage again, so he had to do something before it became too bad. Vlad had already noticed too much of his exhaustion earlier. No need to worry the billionaire more than he already has.

He quickly refilled the cup, cooled it again, and quickly drank the second. He had tried to be as quick and discrete as he could with drinking the two cups so the older halfa would not know how much coffee he was drinking to try and stay awake. Then he immediately filled the next cup, turning around to walk back towards Vlad two full cups in hand as if he hadn’t just swallowed two cups of coffee prior. 

From the corner of his eye, Vlad catches the way Daniel downs two cups of coffee, but he doesn’t dare expose him or even make a comment on it. He can’t blame the younger halfa for drinking that much coffee, not when the teenager looks ready to pass out at any moment. After breakfast, Vlad plans on convincing Daniel on staying here for a few days and getting some sleep. The younger halfa needs it desperately and if he can have a say, Vlad plans on making those dark circles disappear. 

Speaking of Daniel staying over…

The billionaire pulls his phone out and types a quick message to one of his most trusted employees, smirking when he gets an immediate response. Relieved, Vlad pockets his phone. “What did you want for breakfast? I doubt you would want meatballs too.” He smiled, teasing him a bit. “Not when I could make chocolate chip pancakes.” Vlad suggested, knowing of Daniel’s sweet tooth.

Danny snorted at Vlad’s comment, immediately thinking: ‘Fruitloop, with the way you cook, I'll eat anything you make at any time, day or night.’ But hell if the teen would say it aloud. Last thing the man needed was a boost to his already overinflated ego. 

However, his mouth watered when he heard the next sentence, and he couldn’t help his enthusiastic exclamation with a bright excited smile, his sky-blue eyes sparkling in delight at the prospect. “Oh! Yes please!” Chocolate chips on pancakes? Made by Vlad? Hell yeah!

Vlad smiles a bit as he glances at Daniel as the younger gets excited at the prospect of chocolate chip pancakes. 

Seeing those baby-blue eyes light up with excitement made Vlad’s chest expand with warmth, core fluttering happily at the display of raw emotion. The smile on those plush lips is practically contagious and his core pulse towards the younger, secretly enjoying the moment. 

It is rather endearing, actually. Adorable, even. Vlad doesn’t say it out loud, not wanting to embarrass the teenager further. 

The simple kiss to his hand had easily done that. He still wonders how Daniel would have reacted to a real kiss…

Forcing the thoughts away, Vlad starts gathering the needed ingredients for the pancakes, pulling out some expensive baking chocolate. Considering Daniel had liked the cookies he made last week. The younger halfa was sure to enjoy these pancakes. 

Danny walked over to Vlad, before he handed the older halfa his coffee, his ice powers cooled it just a tad so as to be drinkable. Well, drinkable for a normal human. It suddenly occurred to the teen that maybe Vlad liked his coffee scalding hot since the man had a fiery core. Afterall, Danny could be comfortable outside without a sweater in temperatures slightly below freezing.

He bit his lip, regretting having cooled the man’s coffee. “Uh, I cooled your coffee a little, let me know if it’s too cold for you and I can make some more.” He offered, watching the elder intently for his reaction. Worried that he had screwed up.

Vlad took the offering of a cup, a small smile on his face as he accepted the strong beverage. He took a sip, surprised to find that it wasn’t scorching hot. It was nice, though. He took another drink of it, laying it down on the counter.

“It’s fine, Daniel. Even if it was too cold, I could easily warm it back up.” He smiled, soothing the younger of his worries that were for naught. “It’s actually nice.” Vlad suspected it had something to do with Daniel’s core, but he didn’t mention it. 

Danny’s heart fluttered when Vlad said it was nice, his core pulsing happily as a small smile appeared on his face, which he tried to hide while drinking a little bit of his own cup.

“Before I make the pancakes, would you like to sample the chocolate?” Vlad smirked, gesturing to the bag of morsels.

Danny’s eyes sparkled, happiness swirling within him when Vlad offered chocolate, and his face softened as nostalgic memories returned. Not able to resist the contented smile that crossed his face as he looked at the older halfa.

His dear late grandmother, whom he had loved dearly and who had always greeted him with those delicious cookies and always made everything right, would always offer a taste of the ingredients for his ‘approval’. That had meant so very much as a child, and he missed her dearly since her departure when he was seven.

Somehow, here in this kitchen, he is finding himself feeling far more at home than he ever did in his own house. At home and welcome like he did at his grandmother’s.

And it was here with Vlad. Next to this surprisingly kind man who in many ways, was similar to himself, and yet different. A man who constantly surprised him and challenged him in soo many ways. 

And when the elder smiled, like he was now, it felt as though all was well with the world. 

Absentmindedly, he touched the top of his right hand with the tip of his fingers, feeling the ghost of those soft lips.

… he really did like Vlad, didn’t he?

His smile softened. “Yeah… I’d like that.”

His core sent cold happy pulses to the older halfa as he stood next to the man, enjoying the man’s warmth next to him.

::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad wasn’t completely sure, but he had the feeling that he had done something right, given the way a refreshing wave of coldness lingered around his core. There was something about the core that made him sigh in pleasure, already feeling the difference between now and before. He wasn’t aware of what was going on with the ice core, but before, it had been hesitant to even reach out towards him, like it was expecting to be hurt. Thankfully, that had changed in the past hour. The ice core was pulsing and reaching for his own core again, the sensation making him feel whole once more. 

Of course, the main reason he felt like himself again was that he had Daniel in his presence. The past week had been harder on Vlad than he cared to admit, almost embarrassed at the impact Daniel had on him. Without the other halfa, he had felt like Hell. 

It was strange that in such a short period of time, he was already this attached to the other. His companion probably didn’t know it yet, but Vlad had realized that he was wrapped around his finger. If Daniel wanted something, he would be sure to provide it. 

The Vlad from a few years ago would have scoffed at him and taunted him, calling him weak and soft. Back then, his ego had been too inflated for his own good and it had been his downfall many times, often thinking himself as superior to anything. 

He didn’t care about anyone who stood in his way back then, ready and willing to remove them without a second thought. That was until…

Vlad is caught off guard as his core flutters in bliss, realizing that the ice core was pulsing towards him happily. He can’t stop his own core from pulsing in return, wrapping around Daniel and offering protection and love.

Danny smiled as he grabbed a few chocolate chips, heart warming with the soothing pulses of the warm core. His smile turned into a playful grin as he held up the chocolate chip. “I do need to taste the chips. After all, the expert food tester has to make sure that all of the ingredients are up to par.” He pretended to look the chip over, even going as far to ‘measure’ it with his fingers as if to ensure ‘proper’ size.

“Well. It passes the visual test.” He joked, then took a bite, closing his eyes at the surprisingly great taste of gourmet chocolate and unintentionally . “Mmmm…” He quickly schooled his features again from the unintentional blunder, not having expected the chocolate to be so good on its own, taking a thinking pose as he slowly chewed. “Hhhmmnn… I guess the taste is acceptable. But one can’t be fully sure.” And he took a few more chocolate chips in his hand and put them all in his mouth at once, chewing slowly and letting the chocolate melt deliciously in his mouth. 

After swallowing, he gave the halfa a big smile, and a playful wink. “Yep. I approve.” 

Vlad glances at Daniel when he realizes the other has started to talk, a small smile forming on his face as the halfa tries the epicurean chocolate. He eyes the reaction, smirking to himself at the obvious delight on the other’s face. 

“I’m pleased to know it passed the test.” Vlad teased back, making a mental note to get this chocolate again. “I picked the chocolate for you,” He admitted with a smirk, adding the other chocolates into the batter. 

A light blush tints Danny’s cheeks as he shyly avoids the man’s gaze. The words filing his chest with warmth. ‘He picked the chocolate for me…’

Just the thought that Vlad did something out of his way for him made his heart soar and his core sing. It meant the elder halfa had been thinking about him sometime when they were apart, and that thought made the butterflies flutter more intensely and his core pulse with joy. 

Gahh! Why the hell did this feeling have to be even more intense now that he knew what it was?

If he had any hopes of keeping his liking for the older halfa secret, he really had to stop feeling such intense reactions. Especially not showing them! As he could feel how hot his damn face was. ‘Please tell me it's not noticeable…’

Stupid feelings.

As the young halfa was deep in thought, Vlad noticed a smear of chocolate on the corner of Daniel’s mouth, and he swipes away with his thumb and brings it to his mouth, licking it off. Realizing what he did, he turns away to hide his flush as he speaks up.

“Do you like maple syrup with your pancakes?” Vlad asked, quick to focus on something else. 

Fuck, had he really just done that?

:::::::::::::

Danny was kinda shocked out of his thoughts from the sensation and warmth of contact on the corner of his mouth, eyes widening a bit in surprise at the unexpected touch, his face reddening further. The action doing nothing to calm those damn butterflies that just won’t stay still.

And OMG, he stared transfixed as the thumb that touched his skin goes to those soft lips and he nearly has a heart attack as he watches a wet tongue like off the digit, heat pooling so quickly downstairs his head feels suddenly light from the abrupt change in blood flow. 

He swallowed thickly as he fought a sudden spike of need at the scene, his core sending out a different type of coolness towards the other halfa, one full of want and temptation, beckoning the fire core closer. Fffuuuck… how he wanted to just grab the man and kiss him hard, tasting that delicious captivating tongue with his own. To run his hands through that soft silver hair as he held the other’s head so he could taste that tempting mouth and shit he really needs to stop now before a problem downstairs gets too big.

He forces his gaze away, biting his lower lip hard as he quickly grabs his cup to down the coffee inside. Anything to distract his wayward mind from those lips and tongue. 

His heart pounded a million miles an hour, his mind running wild as the warm liquid slid down his throat. A lingering tingle on the side of his lips.

Fuck… did Vlad actually do that? He asked himself as his core gave delighted vibrations in his chest, the teen having to work hard to his core did not send anymore embarrassing pulses to the older halfa.

But w-why?

That moment, that gesture had felt soo… intimate… far more than two people in a truce or friendship. Hell… that action felt more intimate than what family would do to one another.

C-could… could Vlad… like him??

He quickly shook the thought away. It's impossible. Completely and utterly impossible. 

Vlad liked his mom.

…

That statement cut far deeper than it should...

Even if the older halfa had said that he was over his mother, how much could he actually believe that? The man had been obsessed for over 20 years for crying out loud! Hell, maybe Vlad thought he was over his mother, but that doesn’t mean he truly was. No one can control the heart.

A fact that he had only recently realized, when he recognized his feelings for Vlad. 

Also, there was another elephant in the room, besides the age difference, that is.

Danny was a guy. And the elder halfa had never (as far as he knew) expressed any interest in someone of the same sex.

Though to be fair, Danny hadn’t either. And he was still fucking confused about this. 

But he digresses from the true point. There was no way in hell Vlad liked him that way. 

Like a loser like him...

Feeling slightly depressed from that though, he frowned at the cup in his hand, realizing there was no more coffee in it. 

His mind suddenly recalled that Vlad had asked him a question, one he hadn’t noticed immediately having been so lost in his thoughts. He scrambled to quickly answer. “Uh… yeah. I like syrup on my pancakes.”

Walking over to the coffee maker, he started a new batch of coffee after he emptied the last of the contents into his cup. His gaze looked back to the older halfa as the man continued to cook, admiring how gracefully the man moved. How those hands moved with confident expert motions… and he wonders how those hands would feel on his body.

‘Fuck!’

He seriously had to cool down…

The oven goes off and he is very thankful for the distraction. He heads over and pulls out the meatballs, taking a moment to sniff the delightful scent that wafts in the air when he opens the oven door.

::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad is internally panicking as his heart threatens to beat out of his chest, his mind racing at the predicament he brought onto himself. He doesn’t dare so much as steal a glance towards the younger halfa, too afraid at what he might find. What he had just done was foolish! Completely and utterly foolish! For once, he had not been thinking of his actions and the consequences they might have and look where that got him.

Hiding his face as he busied himself with making pancakes, using the heat from the pan as an excuse as to why his face was so flushed. Just his luck, though. It seemed to him that Daniel was rather clueless with his flirting, and Vlad couldn’t count his blessings more. Maybe the teen thought nothing of it? He hoped so, at least. The last thing he wanted to do was stress out the younger halfa who was already on the brink of passing out from sleep deprivation. 

The coffee looked to be doing the trick, but he chalked that up to the fact the other was on his third or fourth cup. Vlad nearly winced at the numerous cups, wishing the other would give in and get some actual sleep. Daniel needed to sleep, otherwise, there was no telling what strain he was putting on not only his body, but his mental state. 

He’s pulled from his thoughts when he feels the ice core pulse against his own, a soft gasp leaving his lips at the need layered in it. Vlad flushes more, but not from his previous embarrassment and grasps the counter hard enough that it turns his knuckles white. He bites his lips in order to contain the noise that threatens to leave his lips, the cold much different compared to usual.

It felt good, in fact. It was tempting him to return and come closer, but Vlad has to restrain himself by the constant reminder that Daniel is exhausted. He shouldn’t make a move, no matter what. It’s already a tough situation, but he doesn’t want to make it worse. The thought of making the other halfa’s state worse is what gives him the motivation to stay where he is and not make a mistake that can’t be fixed by quickly changing the subject. 

His core does respond with a few pulses of its own, as it always does. While he has the ability to stop his body from making a move, he can’t stop his core from answering the ice one, his own also full of need. The warmth is still gentle, but there is a heavier heat there that makes him blush, hoping that it won’t cause an issue. It was fine at first, but his pulses were getting needier and he had to do something about it, and fast.

Vlad nearly curses when he realizes how desperate his pulses were, and he is quick to stop them after a few moments, getting distracted by his own heat. Granted, not all of his heat came from his core, but that combined with the heat of slight arousal was making him uncomfortably warm. He bites his lips, trying to ignore the way his core shivers, trying to get out and reach the ice core and tempt him closer.

Fuck, the thought has him blushing more. He wishes he had Daniel pressed against the counter, his lips trailing down that pale neck, his teeth racking-

The beeping of the oven pulls him from his dangerous thoughts, and Vlad has never been more thankful for a distraction from the impure images in his mind.

“How do they look?” Vlad somehow manages to speak up, his voice fairly normal besides being slightly deeper than usual. Hopefully, it wasn’t too noticeable, though. The smell catches his attention and he smiles a bit, the smell reminding him of his mother for a moment. He blinks away the sudden nostalgia and focuses on finishing the pancakes, wanting to make sure they’re perfect. 

Vlad’s deeper tone catches Danny for a second, and he bites his lower lip and stops a whine that almost escapes his throat while simultaneously struggling to stop his core from pulsing outwards. Danny is entirely sure that his horny mind supplied the sound just to fuck with him even more. Just like his mind had been playing tricks on him because he could have sworn some of the pleasant heat from the elder had felt like it was needy, beckoning him closer for a heated encounter. The feeling only makes his own core want to reach out even more and assault the older halfa.

Clockwork help him…

He cleared his throat before speaking. “Erm… they look ready.” He declares as he removes the meatballs and places them on a plate. The mouthwatering scent wafting into his nose of the meat spheres has his swallowing, his stomach rumbling in hunger.

He was incredibly tempted to try one, but he was not going to until Cujo did. This was for his injured pup and as much as he was tempted, he was going to give the privilege to his best bud before trying it himself. The brave boy deserved it after nearly dying because he was not there to save him.

Vlad snuck a glance at the meatballs to ensure that they looked ready, smirking when the coat looked evenly brown. Over the years, the billionaire had learned to tell when the meatballs were done simply from the way they looked and smelled, which as of right now, looked to be perfect. The scent of the baked meatballs combined with the scent of fresh pancakes was interesting, but also relaxing, in an odd way. The billionaire could only hope that the puppy would enjoy the meatballs, sincerely hoping it would serve to make the dog excited. 

While he had already cared about the ghost dog, Vlad felt growing respect and admiration for the brave canine. If Cujo hadn’t noticed something was wrong, what could have happened to Daniel? The thought of the unknown assailant hurting the younger halfa made Vlad’s already protective nature blaze brighter. There was no doubt that the other halfa was considerably weaker than usual and if that ghost had managed to attack him instead…Cujo had been looking out for Daniel all along, which made the billionaire eternally grateful. 

Because of all the dog did for Daniel, Vlad felt personally indebted to ensure the dog knew how much he was appreciated. Perhaps once the puppy had healed enough, he could purchase Cujo a new dog toy, or even some expensive dog treats. None of it felt like it was nearly enough, though. He would have to personally thank the dog when Daniel wasn’t around, not sure if he could handle the embarrassment. 

Vlad figured that the teenager was already well aware of how much he truly cared, but the urge to keep his reputation was a hard habit to kick. Besides Daniel, there was no one else Vlad had dared to share his emotional past with. He hadn’t even told Maddie or Jack about his mother being Russian and how her baking had been the best part of his childhood. They also had no idea of her death during his time in the hospital, and how he wasn’t able to say goodbye. Only Daniel knew that.

It should have alarmed him on how open he was with the younger halfa, but there was some magnetic force that drew him in and he found himself willingly opening up. Of course, he hadn’t opened up about everything, but unlike in the past, Vlad didn’t mind the thought of letting someone in. Just another thing that seemed to change about him after meeting Daniel, and for the better. 

“These should be done momentarily,” Vlad smirked, flipping another and adding the ones that were done onto a plate. “I can only hope they’re up to your standards,” He teased, winking playfully at him.

Vlad’s tease made Danny smile, and he shrugged. “I don’t know… I hear I am a hard critic to please.”

His own choice of words had him blushing a little. Luckily, he was not hard at the moment, but it had been close with that tempting man beside him. But oh, would he love Vlad to please him…

… he really had to get his mind out of the gutter.

On the bright side, his hormones had been doing a good job of staving off his exhaustion, so that's something!

Though, he can tell that it's not going to last forever, as he feels his body start to slow down once more at an alarming rate. So, speaking of.

Once the meatballs were plated, he walks over to the coffee machine, grabbing a cup, cooling it, and downing another. Repeating the motion a second time, drinking quickly so the older halfa would not notice. Finishing his 6th coffee this morning.

Yesterday morning he had four cups of coffee, so he is up by two so far. Damn… being in Vlad’s territory relaxed him too much. This is going to be one hell of a fight.

“Hard to please?” Vlad hummed, unable to stop the slight purr in his voice. “I think I can change that,” He says, tone unintentionally flirty as he smirks at him as he nonchalantly goes back to flipping the rest of the pancakes, missing the way Daniel chugs another two cups. 

Danny flushed red and his heart speeds up. He bites his bottom lip for the upteenth time this evening, swearing that if this keeps up he is gonna scar his lower lip. Not to mention the change in blood pooling up and down might give him a seizure or something. Which at this moment, his blood is certainly heading south for the winter, all because ffuuckkk, he could swear that Vlad was flirting with him with that deep suave voice of his that wraps around his like sinful silk. But of course, that can’t be true.

Stupid hormones.

Having finished the coffee, he left the empty cup on the counter. Danny opened the fridge and grabbed out a bottle of milk, knowing both Maddie and Cujo loved the dairy beverage. He also grabbed out a salmon fillet, placing it on the cutting board. He started cutting up a part of the fish in little pieces, wanting to give Maddie some delicious food too. He didn’t want for her to feel left out, especially since she’s been such a good kitty. Soo sweet on how she came to comfort Cujo like she did.

As he continued chopping the salmon, he smiled, remembering how Vlad taught him to cut correctly. 

How the man had pressed that large warm chest against his back, his soft hands gently guiding his own with expert movements, how the man’s deep voice tickled his ear, the man’s cheek almost pressed against his as the man’s breath danced on his skin…

Tearing himself from those thoughts before they went too far, he placed the pieces of salmon in the microwave, heating them up. 

He turned to the older halfa. “Do you have some tuna, or some other meat for Maddie? I’m heating up some salmon, and I have some milk. Anything else she might want for breakfast?” He asked, wanting to make sure the kitty was also well taken care of. 

:::::::

Surprised to hear the sound of a knife cutting something, Vlad turns to watch Daniel correctly cut a piece of salmon, a hint of pride growing at the correct technique. He briefly wonders what the younger is doing, but when he speaks up, Vlad feels his heart melt. 

Daniel, sweet halfa that he is, is going out of his way to make sure Maddie gets a nice breakfast of her own. He can’t stop the soft smile, knowing damn well that if he was unsure of his growing love, this moment had surely cemented it. 

“There’s also some tuna in the refrigerator. It’s in the small drawer.” Vlad answered, placing the last pancake. “Tuna and Salmon happen to be her favorite.” He admits, core fluttering towards him, obviously happy.

Danny’s knife froze for a moment, closing his eyes at the soft warmth that pulsed in his direction. This time, the feeling was… how can he describe it… Fluttery? 

It was as if, the heat the halfa was emanating was communicating… a feeling. 

Can cores do that?

In his four years as half ghost he had never felt other ghost’s emotions. And considering all the enemies he has made in his trigger-happy youth, he certainly would have easily have felt the hate and anger from other ghosts…

But then again, he couldn’t feel the other ghosts like he could feel Vlad. There had always been something about Plasmius, in either form, that he felt some sort of indescribable connection. More tuned in to the older halfa then he had been to anyone in his life, including his two best friends.

And that was saying something, because the three of them were inseparable since childhood. 

Those warm pulses that came his way felt almost... happy? And the conversation had been about Maddie.

Danny’s heart warmed and his lips curved into a gentle smile, remembering how the billionaire's tone and demeanor softened considerably when he spoke to the white kitty. How the man, typically quite bothered by one of his expensive collections breaking, had only sighed in resignation as he let Maddie do as she pleased. 

Who would have thought the reserved man, who never really let anyone in, would open up so much with the darling feline. How the usually selfish man would go out of his way to spoil the sweet girl (and spoiled she was, if her size and number of toys were any indication). And now that he thinks about it, Vlad did seem to be less… well, up to no good since Maddie came into his life. 

And having watched the elder interact with the kitty, it warmed his heart to notice that the halfa seemed less lonely in this huge empty mansion.

He let out a small chuckle as he opened up the fridge to grab some more tuna, amusement danced in his sky-blue eyes. He had been soo right when he had said Vlad needed a cat.

Grabbing out the tuna, he continued to consider his theory further.

Soo, if he is feeling the older halfa’s feelings... He paused suddenly, eyes widening fearfully as he held the tuna. D-did that mean Vlad can feel his too?

Oh god please no! The worst possible thing that could happen was Vlad finding out about his attraction! The man would curse him, throw him out of his territory. Forbid him from ever coming anywhere near him…

Or…

… try to kill him.

His body started trembling slightly, a sudden memory of the Vlad from his nightmares flashing through his eyes.

Of his head being smashed back into a wall, hard enough to draw ectoplasm as pain shot out from his skull. A black gloved hand nearly ripping his white hair out as it held his hair in a tight hold, red eyes blazing and right in front of his face, the surrounding oppressive heat making it hard to breathe.

*Such a disgusting creature.* Nightmare Plasmius’ words spat in his face, full of hatred and rage, demeanor then changing to be mocking and cruel. *The baby has a crush on me. How pathetic!* The other hand darted out and grasped his neck in a crushing grip. *Did you ever think that I could ever consider the likes of you?*

Memories of that nightmare left him feeling cold, hollow, as his body slightly shook, breath coming in faster as terror started to sink in once more.

W-what if… What if his nightmares were a premonition of what could happen?

He stood there, frozen as he forgot to breathe.

But…

The feeling of warmth that enveloped him tried to push away the fear, the darkness. The constant feeling of being in Vlad’s territory seeking to reassure his fearful core that he was safe here. That the man would never harm him. That those venomous words would never be truly said by those soft lips.

He swallowed thickly, trying to force his doubts and fears down. Trying to control his rapid heartbeat and steady his breathing as he continued preparing Maddie’s breakfast, quite visibly shaken up by his thoughts. His core retreating and thrashing somewhat wildly in his chest as memories of his nightmares threatened to resurface.

‘It’s only a nightmare. It’s only a nightmare. It’s only a nightmare.’ He repeated his mantra methodically in his mind, eyes staring forward and unfocused, the words seeming hollow and hard to believe.

::::::::::::::::::

  
There had been a gentleness in the atmosphere that seemed to continuously grow, his core still fluttering in his chest. There was something that always made him happy when he saw how much other people loved Maddie, and when it was Daniel showing that same amount of affection, it caused his core to purr in delight. The younger halfa was already a compassionate person but watching him be the same with his cat only served to make the billionaire happy. 

It makes him want to bestow the same affection to the younger halfa as well. While he hadn’t spied on Daniel in years, it wasn’t hard to see that the hero of Amity Park rarely had the time to relax, or even take the time to enjoy his life. From what he had witnessed over the years, it looked like the younger halfa worried about other people before himself, which was something Vlad wanted to fix as soon as he could. To him, Daniel was one of the most important people in his life, and he wasn’t about to allow the other to get himself hurt. 

While Vlad was generally a possessive and protective man, he had a hunch that Skulker’s visit had made his worry intensify. There was no way to know if the incidents were connected, and chances were, they probably weren’t, but something wasn’t sitting right with the billionaire. For as long as he had known Daniel, which was only four years, the halfa didn’t seem to suffer from sleep deprivation on this level. Of course, he had once hacked into the high school securities to get a look at Daniel’s grades, which was when he discovered a note of teachers complaining of the boy falling asleep in class.

He knew the cause of those incidents, however. It was either Daniel occasionally playing a strange video game with his friends, but more commonly it was due to the multiple ghost attacks. Even with those incidents, it had never looked like this. The dark circles under those baby-blue eyes didn’t belong there. Daniel was too lively to look the way he did, which was where the concern started to become more prominent. 

Daniel was noticeably weaker from his lack of sleep, which meant that whatever had attacked Cujo could have easily harmed the other halfa as well. The thought terrifies him the more he lingers on it, his mind unable to stop thinking of ‘what ifs.’ 

Was it possible that the ghost had been after Daniel, but Cujo had noticed and interfered? The more he thinks of that idea, the less likely it seems to him. There was no way Daniel’s lack of sleep could be connected with the random attack on the ghost pup, who hadn’t quite been a pup when attacked. 

Before he let his thoughts continue, there was a shift in the easy-going atmosphere that had Vlad’s core shivering in displeasure, a coldness in the room that didn’t feel right. It was odd, because Daniel’s ice core usually felt wonderful when it wafted through the air, but this was something unsettling. 

Slowly, he turned to the other halfa and frowned a bit, remembering seeing a similar look on Daniel’s face the night the teenager passed out. Carefully, as to not startle the other, Vlad headed towards him, gently touching his shoulder. 

“Daniel, you’re okay.” Vlad mumbled into his ear, making sure the knife was on the counter and not in the younger halfa’s hands. 

Danny flinched when he felt the hand on his shoulder, but the soft warmth of the hand felt comforting, and he didn’t pull away. Vlad’s soft, deep velvet voice cutting through his fears. The gentle breath ghosted over his sensitive ear, sending a shiver through his body as the sound reverberated through his chest pleasantly, bringing him back to the here and now. 

To safety and warmth.

“Everything is alright.” Vlad promised, slowly wrapping his arm around the teenager and holding him to his chest, warmth erupting from him and wrapping around the younger.

Danny’s heart did a flip when he felt an arm slide around his waist and pull him into a comforting warm chest, his cheeks flushing at their closeness. The scent of cinnamon spice that was Vlad filling his senses and he found himself closing his eyes, leaning against that soothing heat that enveloped his cold body as the steady rhythm of the man’s heart beat in his ear. 

His wild frantic energy bouncing in his core started to slow as the gentle heat flowed through him, feeling as Vlad’s fire core soothed the icy chaos that had been in his chest just moments before. 

This closeness. This embrace.

Felt so right.

Slowly, timidly, his arms rose to return the embrace, slight worry of rejection crossing his mind. But after a few seconds, tightened his hold of the older halfa, his heart soaring. His ice core stabilized, then worked to match the heat that surrounded it and moving outwards, seeking to wrap around the pleasant fire core that was so very familiar to the young halfa. 

This moment was unlike anything he had felt before, as a swirl of fire and ice began to dance almost in perfect harmony as time seemed to stand still. As if nothing else existed beyond the two halfas. Nothing else mattered but the presence of the man he loved.

Yes. It wasn’t just sexual attraction, it wasn’t just a crush or just like. He freaking loved the ol’ fruitloop in his arms. 

The man who held an aura of sophistication and control, who’s great intelligence and cunning matched only by his bewitching charm. The man who held great patience, yet could lose it so epically to a spunky teen. Who suffered from loneliness of his own doing, who calculated benefits and costs to the choices he made. The man who put on a mask that concealed a steel wall that hid the wonderful, kind man he truly was.

The good, the bad, the ugly. Danny had seen it all.

And he loved him for it. Loved all of Vlad, and everything that came of it, good or bad.

And here, like this. At this very moment... it felt as if the elder halfa loved him as well. 

And he wanted this moment to last forever.


	13. Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.
> 
> We hope ya’ll enjoy!
> 
> _________________________________

Vlad hadn’t been sure about what to expect from Daniel, a part of him worried that he wouldn’t be able to help with the obvious turmoil. Panic attacks weren’t exactly uncommon to the billionaire, having dealt with his own over the years. Hell, he had even experienced dangerous episodes before from his guilt which threatened to make him spiral downwards. They hadn’t occurred in a long time, but Vlad was well accustomed to them and knew what to do when he saw the familiar signs. 

Vlad felt the change in the atmosphere first, realizing that the piercing cold was starting to recede and transform into a more relaxing chill, like a breeze on a hot day. His eyes shut on their own accord at the pleasant feeling, relieved to know that Daniel was starting to relax and come back to the present. The frantic emotions that had once plagued the air was easing away, leaving something sweet that wrapped around him. 

Sucking in a silent breath when a pair of arms wrapped around him in return, a deep emotion formed in his chest as he smiled to himself, the urge to tug him closer intensifying to a dangerous level. As Daniel held him in a similar embrace, the wonderful ice core met his fire one and if Vlad had any less restraint, he would have done something incredibly foolish. 

The strong emotions that were emanating from the younger halfa was driving the billionaire crazy with want, the need to make Daniel know how much he cared flaring stronger by the second. Maybe he was crazy, but the emotions that he sensed from the other made it seem like the younger halfa wanted him just as badly. 

And that thought was almost enough to make his iron restraint crumble into dust, leaving all of his walls down for the plundering. Granted, he lowered them when it came to Daniel, but there were some things he tried to keep hidden, such as his growing love for the teenager.

Even then, the need to show it was starting to invade his senses as time went on. The want for the younger halfa to know how much he was loved grew and grew until it was bound to boil over. Vlad might have tried to use logic in the situation, but it was clear that it was hard to control his heart. There wasn’t much he could do to stop his core from reaching out every time the younger halfa was near, his affection probably felt thanks to their connection.

Danny’s arms tightened his hold just slightly, pressed so closely to the man he loved feeling completely safe. That nothing could touch him as long as he was within this strong, yet gentle hold, and he felt his body begin to relax further, his exhaustion and drowsiness returning. 

His heart sank as he realized he would have to let go soon, if he had any chance of staying awake. This was too calming, even after drinking 6 cups of coffee this morning.

He took a few moments more, sealing the moment within his mind. The strong warm embrace, the heat swirling within, the strong steady heartbeat by his ear, the spicy cinnamon scent, the rise and fall of that broad chest with every breath…

He gave one last squeeze to the elder halfa, beyond grateful for the gift he had just been given.

The teen doubted that Vlad knew how much this moment meant to him. His face softened, a gentle smile to his soft lips. It would be a moment he would never forget.

::::::::::::

Vlad shivered with delight when those arms tightened around him, almost as if they’re afraid that he will simply disappear or break the embrace. As if. He would have been a complete Fruitloop if he had lingering thoughts of breaking this wonderful contact. Instead, he tugs Daniel closer to his chest, the warmth from his core wrapping around the other even more, promising love and protection. 

In all of his life, he had never felt this at ease. 

Or this wanted. 

Before Vlad could dwell too much on his unsavory deprecated thoughts, there was a gentle squeeze that signaled this amazing moment was about to come to a disappointing end. His core lurched at the thought, quivering with a need that made Vlad’s very being ache with a need to never let the teenager go. 

But as the saying went, all good things must come to an end. 

Even if you wanted to fight and stay in that moment for the rest of eternity. 

Reluctantly, Danny pulls away from that comforting warm embrace, his core giving a pained pulse at the separation. He looked away, cheeks flushed, unable to look the older halfa in the eyes just yet. “W-we should give Cujo and Maddie their breakfast…” He suggested as he quickly turned and grabbed the two plates filled with meatballs, salmon, and tuna, along with the bottle of milk on the side. 

He did not chance a look at Vlad as he headed out of the kitchen, walking up the stairs as he carried the plates, his heart aching for the loss of the embrace tied with the knowledge that it will never happen again.

::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad is reluctant to allow Daniel to leave his arms, his core still wrapped around Daniel and tempting (almost pleading) the other to stay where he is. He flushes red in pure embarrassment, feeling awkward for the way his fiery core clung to the other for a moment, before sadly retreating. He swallows hard and forces himself to step back, before his hands reach forward to pull the younger against his chest once more.

He lets the younger halfa grab their pets food-

Their pets.

His heart can’t stop the obscene flutter for a moment, the domesticity of their predicament not lost on him. He forces the thoughts away and grabs Daniel’s breakfast, realizing that the teenager had forgotten it in his haste. 

Always so worried about others instead of himself…

Vlad shakes his head with a fond smile, making the familiar trek down his hall and towards one of the guest rooms.

The moment Danny opened the guest room door, Cujo’s ears rose, his little beady nose twitched as he sniffed the air, eyes widening excitedly as his wispy tail wagged excitedly.

Danny paused at the door, looking at his ghost pup with a serious gaze, quickly using his serious, commanding tone. “Cujo, stay.” 

The ghost pup’s little body shook a little out of anticipation, panting as all of the attention was zoned in on the balls of meat on the teen’s plate. 

Danny couldn’t help but smile at the enthusiasm, although still worried about the puppy’s injury as he approached the bed. “Stay put, okay?” He said softly as Cujo gave a little happy yip, beyond excited for this breakfast. The teen flinched a little at the slobbery mess that was getting worse on the guest bed, making note to find the washer machine in this mansion and wash it when the ghost pup was feeling better.

He crouched by the bed, setting down the small plate of salmon and tuna, pouring a little milk on the side. “Here girl, here’s your breakfast.” He called to Maddie in a soft tone, making sure to pet the kitty a little in thanks for watching over the small pup as she began to eat from the plate.

He then sat on the edge of the bed, right next to Cujo. He gently placed a hand on Cujo’s back, making sure not to touch any of his injuries. “Okay boy, we are not playing fetch with these. Okay?” The teen made sure to clarify before feeding the overly enthusiastic pup a meatball with his other hand.

After swallowing, the pup’s eyes grew wide, and his snout opened wide in a happy yip, even more saliva dripping on the bed as his eyes stared at the other delicious meat on the plate. 

Danny laughed at Cujo’s enthusiasm and grabbed another meatball from the other side. “This one is spicy.” And fed the pup the other one, to which the reaction was even more happy then, tiny tail wagging so much his little body started shaking in delight. 

“Okay, okay, settle, you're going to hurt yourself.” Danny warned, unable to contain a chuckle as he continued to feed the eager pup, a gentle expression as he watched his loving dog.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When Vlad reached the bedroom, he smiles at the scene that awaits him. 

Cujo, the excitable pup that he was, had to restrain himself from not jumping at the fresh meatballs, the slobber on the bed making Vlad’s smirk widen. Once upon a time, he might have cared about such a trivial thing, but now, it makes him smile. 

There is also the fact that he gets immense satisfaction from knowing that the injured pup enjoys the food. The brave ghost pup deserves it and more for what he did. 

“I’m glad to see he enjoys them this much,” Vlad jokes, placing Daniel’s breakfast on one of the dressers and away from the bed. Maddie was a purring mess as she was pampered by the younger halfa, rubbing her head against his palm before happily eating her own breakfast. 

Before all of the meat was devoured by the small canine, Danny tried one of the meatballs himself. “MMMmmm!” He looked to Vlad in surprised delight. “These are delicious! What kind of meatballs are these?” 

Too busy watching the animals, Vlad almost doesn’t catch Daniel trying one of the meatballs. When he sees the delight on the younger halfa’s face, Vlad’s core purrs with pleasure. He flushes a bit, not wanting to show how much Daniel’s reaction had impacted him.

“This was one of my mother’s recipes,” Vlad admitted, smiling a bit. “It’s an old family recipe she brought with her from Russia. It was one of my favorites when I was young.” Vlad feels his core relax more, feeling at ease as he talks about the past. “I’m glad you enjoyed them. I’ll have to bake it more for you.” 

His core pulsed happily, threatening to burst out and wrap around the younger halfa. 

Instead of reigning it in, Vlad let it happen. 

He let his warmth gently caress Daniel as it wrapped around him like a protective veil.

Danny’s heart leaped happily when the older halfa said it had been one of his mother’s recipes. Vlad has spoken earlier about the woman with fondness. And the fact that the billionaire was sharing this personal story meant the world to Danny. 

Not only was the man sharing more about his mother and his youth, but he is also sharing one of his favorite recipes that she had made for him when he was a young. 

And the joy he can feel from the older halfa makes his heart melt.

His lips part slightly, staring at those ocean-blue eyes as waves of happiness touch his core, the warmth swirling around in his being like a melodic song and he just wanted to drown in the feeling. 

How is it that Vlad always manages to complicate his life? 

His presence had always been addicting, and the teen had always found himself thinking about the older halfa, always wondering what the man was up to in the excuse to foil evil plans. Now, the man makes him want to know everything, past, present, future. And somehow that urge seemed to grow as he made the teen fall deeper and deeper in love with him.

In love.

How substantially different that word felt now. 

A few years back he used to think that he ‘loved’ Paulina, worshipped her, and would do anything to go out with the Latina girl. That she had been complete perfection, and that he would be the luckiest boy in the world to even have her give him the light of day. 

What a narrow view of what love truly was. 

He didn’t worship Vlad. He didn’t put the older halfa on a pedestal or view him as perfect. He knew of Vlad’s mistakes in the past and saw his efforts to make up for them. He knew the other would make more mistakes in the future and wanted to be there with him when he did. He respected the older halfa as an equal. 

He didn’t feel obsessed over the man to an exaggerated degree, didn’t feel like he needed to demean himself just to gain the other’s favor. Somehow, the teen could be himself, and the older halfa seemed to enjoy his company regardless.

And the intense feelings this man caused were nowhere near the feelings he thought were love. His heart and core pulsed for the older halfa, and felt incomplete when the fire was absent. And regardless of what differences might come up or what arguments they may have, his feelings would not diminish. 

And even though it hurt, a pain far deeper than any physical wound, he would respect the fact that the elder halfa would never feel the same way, and keep his love to himself.

That, he realized, was real love.

His gaze softened, a gentle smile crossing his lips as sky-blue eyes gazed into sapphire ones with deep contentment, and love, his ice core sending cooled pulses back just as joyfully. “It means a lot that you shared this recipe with us. Thank you.”

Any other time, he would have been worried about expressing too much of this emotion in front of Vlad, but for reasons the teen could not explain, it felt right.

There was something there. Something that pushed the younger halfa to stop hiding. Somehow feeling that Vlad would accept him, no matter what. And that he was safe here.

The ambiance of the room starts to gradually shift and it takes Vlad’s breath away, his heart racing at the emotion that circles around him, almost as if it was answering his core’s call of love. He swallows hard as his core seems to warm with more happiness, easing against Daniel as it lingers against him, love emanating from every pore. He manages to stop himself from blushing, but the wonderful icy core pulses against him once more and Vlad feels the urge to confess trying to claw out. 

“It was my pleasure, Daniel…” Vlad mumbled softly, unable to tear his gaze away from the baby-blue eyes that draw him in, keeping him locked in orbit. He moves closer, never taking his eyes off Daniel as he stands by him, hand going to carefully run through the dark hair. 

A pleasurable hum escapes Danny’s parted lips, the touch sending tingling sensations to his scalp. He found himself leaning towards the caress, and more towards the man before him, entranced by that dark blue gaze. 

“I’ll have to make more of my mother’s recipes for you. I think you would enjoy them.” Vlad lets his nails gently scrape along the teenager's scalp, remembering how he enjoyed that the other night. 

His thumb moves to slowly caress under the younger halfa’s jaw, heart beating wildly at his bold move, but it's hard to stop himself. 

Especially when the icy core wraps around him, the strong emotions so similar to the one he’s been dealing with for the past few weeks. The feelings provided by the ice core make his fire core flare with a need to protect and hold, the depth of it making his chest ache pleasantly. 

Can he dare to hope that Daniel feels the same way?

He watches the other as he continues to caress the skin, unable to stop himself or pull away. No longer daring to hide his feelings. 

Danny’s heart and core fluttered when he heard there would be a next time, sending out a joyous pulse back at the older halfa.

Before he could respond, his eyes widen slightly in surprise, as he feels a feather-like touch trail down his jaw, and he is frozen in place, just now realizing how close they had truly gotten while tied up in this blissful moment and his heart feels like it is going to bust out of his chest at any moment. 

He watched the soft smile on the man before him as that gentle touch continued along his face, parting his lips slightly. How relaxed Vlad’s face was, yet tied to an emotion he couldn’t quite identify. There was this light in the sapphire gaze, so like the sparkle of the ocean from the moon’s rays. 

“You still have your pancakes.” Vlad reminds, the words nearly lost on himself as well, too busy looking into beautiful blue eyes.

Danny slowly returns from the trance as Vlad’s silken voice washes over him. Yes, better to pull away... before he does something they both will regret.

“Y-yeah…” He whispers, a slight blush forming on his cheeks as he begins to pull away slowly, wishing they could indeed stay like that. He also reigns in his ice core, which pulses in slight protest, but acquiesces nonetheless.

Despite wanting to stay like this, Vlad knew it was bound to end once he had spoken up, already figuring it would end whatever moment they shared. It was for the best though, already having doubts about what he would have done if he hadn’t interrupted the serenity. It would have been something that he could never take back, something that would have the potential to break their relationship if Daniel had vehemently opposed. 

Leaning down and kissing those tempting lips might have been something he was dying to do, but the billionaire couldn’t risk losing the other halfa so soon. It felt like they were starting to come to terms with each other, no more secrets or masks between them. Even if he wanted more, Vlad was content for things to remain how they were, which was something that had also changed about him over the years.

It was one thing to stop hiding how you felt, and another to openly broadcast your true emotions. Vlad couldn’t bring himself to cross that barrier, far too afraid of what the reaction might be if he even dared. It didn’t help that Daniel was obviously worn out from the sleep deprivation and making a move right now would be an all-time low for him. A long time ago, he had continuously made advances on Maddie Fenton and those hadn’t been appreciated. 

It took Daniel to make him realize that. 

It was Daniel who pointed out the fact he was obsessed with Maddie Fenton, and since then, Vlad had quickly understood that what he felt for the women wasn’t love at all. It was nothing compared to the array of emotions he felt for Daniel. 

Emotions that threatened to burn himself from the inside, combined with gentleness and intimacy that left him breathless. A long time ago, he wouldn’t have considered keeping his emotions hidden.

Instead, the older halfa retracts his hand as the other moves away, putting needed space between them that made his core shiver in dismay. The warm-core wants to wrap around Daniel once more and keep him at arm’s length, but Vlad forces himself to keep control over his core and shoves it down before it can reach out. 

It does pulse slightly, offering one more wave of warmth before it settles down for now. 

There was no telling how long his fiery core would remain where it was, but Vlad wasn’t going to question his slight luck. Controlling his core had started to become a hassle when it came to Daniel, so any time he could contain it, he counted it as a blessing.

Danny takes a glance towards Cujo, and smiles as he realizes the pup was deep in slumber, having fallen asleep after the meal. ‘Good. He can better recover from his injury if he is sleeping.’

Rising from the bed, he grabbed both of their breakfast plates, gesturing to the older halfa to follow as he exited the guest bedroom, not wanting to wake up the poor tired puppy.

He walks down the stairs, but instead of heading towards the dining room, he heads towards one of the living rooms.

Vlad spared a glance to his darling cat as he got up to follow Daniel. He smiles at the sight of her sleeping with Cujo, curled up beside the ghostly dog in a protective manner. He closes the door quietly as to not wake the two and walks behind the other halfa, raising an eyebrow when he was led into one of his living rooms. 

Danny placed the plates on the coffee table in front of the big screen tv, then walked towards the various blu-rays that lined the large bookcase. 

“So, what kind of movie are you feeling like, fruitloop?” The teen inquires as he looks at the large selection, thinking it best to pretend like whatever happened in that room did not happen, so Vlad wouldn’t start asking him questions he definitely did not want to answer. 

Not only would the movie be a good distraction from earlier, it also would help Danny not start to fall asleep again, cause he could feel the coffee’s effects starting to lessen, especially now that his adrenaline was not so high.

Vlad looks at the teen curiously. “I’m not sure what genre of movie you like. There’s an entire assortment that I keep for the aesthetic.” He admits truthfully, smirking as the teenager browses the endless selection. “If you like horror or action, I’m sure you’ll find one eventually.” Vlad teased.

Danny smirked, a glint in his eyes as he looked back at Vlad playfully. “Aesthetic, you say?” He questioned playfully as he lifted one of the blu-ray cases. “Are you going to deny your obsession with Vampires?” Waving the movie Nosferatu in his hand. 

Danny was very grateful that Plasmius looked nothing like the ugly creature on the front of the case. In fact, the teen thought that Plasmius actually looked quite appealing. The light-blue skin paired nicely with the man’s white suit. And while he used to make fun of those hair-spikes, now he actually found them kinda charming in their own way. 

He especially loved those two sharp fangs the older ghost sported, definitely liking the idea of offering his neck for-

Moving on, thank you very much. 

Vlad holds back a chuckle at being compared to a vampire again, knowing full well that his ghost form had an eerily resemblance to the dark creatures. He was half tempted to transform into Plasmius and let his fangs peek out, seeing as Daniel mentioned them quite a bit. There was also something tempting about pressing the younger halfa against the sofa and scraping his fangs along Phantom’s neck, teasing him until-

Realizing how warm his lascivious thoughts had made him, Vlad was quick to change the course of his thoughts, not needing his core to flare out and try to tempt the ice core to come closer. Tossing the thoughts away, he hums. 

“The fangs were an interesting development. I can’t say I mind them too much,” Vlad admits with a small smirk teasing the younger more. “But I’ve never had the urge to bite anyone thankfully.” Except you. Vlad thinks, his gaze sweeping over the younger halfa's neck once more. 

Danny most certainly did not mind the fangs. Not one bit. In fact, everytime he thought about those sharp canines it brought a pleasant shiver through his skin, body heating up and pulse racing. The way those fangs would be on display everytime Vlad transformed into his ghost half made the elder look so dangerously sexy… especially with that slick smirk of his, red eyes glinting. Oh, he would certainly love for those fangs to pierce his skin as strong arms wrapped around-

He really needed to stop doing that before his core got way too excited. Or the guy downstairs. Luckily the movie should prove distracting from his horny teenage thoughts and sleep deprivation. 

His eyes continued to scan the titles, and his cheeks blushed slightly when he came across a romantic movie.

Like a date…

Just thinking about snuggling next to the older halfa on the couch, side-by-side as romantic scenes played on the screen. Danny would of course, excuse himself a moment to refill refreshments, returning to sit just a little bit closer to the man. Later, maybe the teen would take a moment to stretch his tired arms, one arm ‘accidentally’ resting on the back of the couch slightly behind Vlad. The position would allow him to lean just a bit closer, the spicy scent that was so unique to the older halfa even more noticeable due to their closeness. Being able to share the warmth and cooled temperatures of their two cores as they both enjoyed their company and proximity.

Oh… that would be nice.

But it was just a fantasy. An unrealistic dream that would never come true. 

Sighing in disappointment, the teen continued to browse the movie titles, one catching his attention more than the rest. Admittedly one of his favorite movies: Dark Knight Rises.

He was about to grab the movie, but then he realized that Vlad may not have watched the two movies before. That would just be tragic.

He turned to the older halfa. “Tell me you’ve seen Batman Begins.” 

The man had to have at least seen the first of the trilogy, right?

::::::::::::::

Vlad had continued to stare at that pale neck as Daniel continued browsing through the movies. He couldn’t help but wonder how sensitive it was, or how easily it would be to leave a mark. The thought of leaving possessive marks on Daniel made his core purr, but he was quick to push it down before it could cause any problems. 

Butter Biscuits, first his core and now his wayward thoughts. This was going to be harder than he thought, but he wouldn’t be Vlad Masters’ if he gave in without a fight. The emotions he harbored for Daniel had to be shoved aside for now, knowing he needed to focus on ensuring the younger halfa managed to get some rest. 

It looks like the multiple cups of coffee are starting to wear off at least, and if he had a say in it, Vlad would make sure Daniel got some sleep on the sofa. His heart flutters at the thought of the younger halfa falling asleep on him and pressing into his chest unknowingly, perhaps seeking the warmth his core provided.

Vlad could keep the other safe and watch over him, maybe even take him into his room and place him under his silk covers. 

It likely wouldn’t happen. Daniel was as stubborn as he was and would also fight tooth and nail to keep himself from falling into a deep sleep that was sorely needed. He was lost in thought until Daniel asked him a question, a thoughtful hum escaping his throat. 

“I don’t think I’ve seen any of those movies.” Vlad admits, a small smirk appearing on his face. “I think it disappointed Christian Bale when I told him a few years ago,” He added, figuring the younger halfa would enjoy the information.

Danny turned around so fast, the motion looked like he should have gotten whiplash. “No friggin way! You met the Christian Bale!!” His eyes sparkled with envy and rapt attention. “When? Where? How?” He questioned all at once. “Wait, hold on.” 

Grabbing the first movie Batman Begins, he placed it in the blu-ray player. Vlad was not going to continue progressing through life without watching the trilogy of the century. And watching the whole trilogy would also kill a lot of time to keep him from falling asleep so added bonus!

He quickly sat beside the older halfa, actually closer than he had intended. He had planned to covertly get closer as time went on so it was not obvious, but the teen had been way too excited about the fact that Vlad actually met one of his favorite movie actors.

His tiredness was swept away by a momentary adrenaline kick, and was giddy with excitement. “Okay! Now you have to tell me everything. Leave no details out.” He declared, giving the older halfa his undivided attention, staring straight into the man’s eyes with a big smile. “Is he as cool in person as he is in the movies?”

Barely withholding a chuckle, Vlad gazed fondly at the younger halfa, having expected that sort of reaction. While he had never watched the trilogy featuring the actor, his numerous businesses had often placed him at similar charity events that Bale also attended. It was amusing to see Daniel become this excited over meeting the famed actor, and if he were being honest, Vlad found the reaction to be quite endearing. The information was also useful, seeing as he now knew something else the younger halfa enjoyed. 

Not that he could blame him, anyway. From what he knew, the trilogy had been labeled a masterpiece by almost all critics, which was an impressive feat for those particular types of films. The excitement in Daniel’s eyes made his heart flutter, knowing that doing this with the teenager would mean a lot to him. He holds his core at bay when said teenager sits close to him, the cold-core ghosting across his warm one. 

“He’s a nice man,” Vlad admits. “We met at a charity event for environmental protection, and wildlife protection.” He comments, enjoying the sight of the pure excitement that rolls of Daniel like waves. “That’s when I told him I hadn’t watched any of his movies,” Vlad teased, shifting his arm a bit and letting it rest on the back of the sofa, his fingers gently trailing through the dark hair as he spoke. 

Danny tried to hide the contented flutter that threatened to leave his core when the older halfa started threading those fingers through his hair, letting out a small sigh as his eyes softened a little at the rhythm and sensations from the touch.

“I assume this must be one of your favorite movies?” Vlad questioned, slowly playing with the dark hair, knowing it would be useless to try and stop from touching it. Besides, Daniel seemed to generally enjoy whenever he did it, and there was something that urged him to follow that instinct.

Danny’s smile widened. “Hell yeah it is!” The teen enthused. “I’ve always been a fan of Batman! How he combined his fighting abilities and intellect to fight for those in need. His cool demeanor and confidence in his ability to handle any type of situation. Oh! And his fighting moves!” Danny did a punch in the air in his enthusiasm. “How in every incarnation he is talented in many fighting styles which he pairs with such cool technology! And Christopher Nolan captures the best of Batman and ties it into this compelling story! And how Christian Bale represents the caped crusader with his cool demeanor and-”

The teen stills as he realizes that he was rambling at this point, cheeks reddening in embarrassment, as he hunches in on himself with a shy smile. “Hehehe, well… I guess you should just watch the movie and see…”

Without another word, he quickly grabs the remote. ‘Why did I have to inherit dad’s blabbering at the worst of times! Vlad must think I’m a total dork.’ He chided himself as he slightly grimaced, starting the movie on the TV.

Vlad’s core shivers with delight at having the younger halfa this close to him, the inferno in his chest ablaze with a soft fire that pulses slightly outwards, lingering against Daniel. He continues to gently run his fingers through the raven hair as the other talks, a small smile playing on his face at the passion the other has for the movies. It makes the billionaire wonder if the younger halfa based his fighting style on the caped vigilante, which wouldn’t have surprised him too much. 

The passion the younger halfa exuded reminds him of the one he shares for his favorite football team, which would always be the Green Bay Packers. The level of excitement makes his heart flutter in content, feeling honored at having been granted the ability to witness such a thing. It makes his heart soar with happiness, content to hear the younger halfa ramble on about something that clearly makes him excited. 

The way Daniel’s eyes light up like the glistening water on a bright summer's day, his cheeks flushed with excitement makes Vlad smile, knowing damn well the love he felt for the other was growing more and more each day. 

The blabbering on has grown on him, finding it to be quite endearing when years ago, he would have rolled his eyes. But now, all he can think of is how adorable it truly is. He lets his nail gently trail along the scalp carefully. 

Danny gives a soft smile, enjoying the gentle petting. His peripheral gaze watching the older halfa as he stared straight at the tv. 

This was nice.

Sitting here in this comfortable couch, feeling heat wrapping around him like a soft blanket. Noticing how the light from the television bounced off of that silver hair, almost making it glow in the soft light of the living room while also highlighting the strong, yet soft features of the man’s face.

He was very tempted to turn and study him fully, but didn’t want to be caught staring, so he continued to keep his gaze on the television. But on occasion casing a glance towards the elder in secret.

The movie isn’t bad, and Vlad can certainly see why there had been a huge following for the series-the acting and cinematography is wonderful. However, all his thoughts are on the beautiful young halfa next to him, who somehow manages to be more captivating than the movie on the screen. He briefly wonders if it would be the same if the packers were on the screen instead, and it doesn’t take him long to realize that, yes, it would be the same. Daniel would still find a way to grab his attention and for once, the billionaire can’t bring himself to mind the distractions. 

In reality, the distractions are brought by himself and from his lack of being able to keep his hand to himself, the soft hair constantly tempting him. Maybe it’s the fact that he can feel the other halfa beneath his fingers, his warm skin coming into contact with the wonderful ice core. He can answer the chill with his own warmth that creates a perfect harmony of their cores, the temperature between them resembling paradise.

Vlad hummed in thought as the movie played, trying to slightly distract himself from the boy beside him and focus somewhat on the movie instead. “It’s actually been a long time since I’ve watched Batman,” He admits, subtly stroking through the hair.

Danny turned to look at the older halfa with a smirk. “Well then, you’re in luck!” He gestured to himself. “Because I just happen to be a master of all things Batman, be it movies, comics, series… you name it! And I am going to train you in the art of the Dark Knight.” He declared with a bright smile.

Then his gaze turned mischievous, and he gave a playful wink. “In exchange for you teaching me your wisdom of vampires, that is.” He leaned a bit more forward than he intended, close to the older halfa’s face, his eyelids drooping slightly with a slight smirk. “Cause I’m sure you must know all there is to know about vampires. Eh, Plassmiuss~” His tone came out way too flirty than he had intended, and his face flamed pink and he retreated to his side quickly, completely aghast at what he had just done.

‘Fuck! Please tell me Vlad had not noticed….’ He silently prayed as he scrambled to backpedal a bit, afraid to look at the elder’s reaction as he kept his gaze locked on the television screen. His voice sounding a bit anxious high pitched. “C-cause, you know… you’re ghost side is a, ummm, vampire. Hahaha…” He trailed off lamely. 

:::::::::::::::::

It appeared that Daniel does enjoy Batman quite a bit. Vlad realized when the younger proclaimed to be a master of all things Batman, which made his heart flutter. Again, he felt privileged to know of this particular interest, wondering how many others knew of the teenager's fondness for the superhero with no powers. 

About to make a comment, Vlad felt as if all the air from the room had disappeared, leaving his heart racing at the proximity of the other halfa, core pulsing happily at the flirty tone. 

Fuck. 

Eh, Plassmiuss~ The tone makes his core pulse with need, his own cheeks a shade of pink. Instead of letting it go, he hums softly.

“Well, if I’m to teach you the wisdom of vampires, I’d have to follow tradition and bite you first,” Vlad teases back, letting a nail trail along the length of the teenager's neck.

He certainly wouldn't mind gently sinking his ghostly fangs into Phantom's neck.

Danny’s lips part as he sucks in breath, an involuntary low hum leaving his lips. Body shivering in delight at Vlad’s tone, as his heart pumps fast, core flaring with need. Combined with the gentle rasp at his neck that leaves goosebumps on his skin and ffffuuuuck… he’s instantly harder than a rock, blood pooling all the way down south as his mind flashes with the image of those beautiful canines on his sensitive neck. His ice core pulsing differently, trying to escape his chest and pull out the fire core beside him.

Vlad’s calculating eyes catch the full-body shiver, his warmth boiling over with desire at the wonderful reaction he hadn’t been expecting. The sound that escapes those parted lips makes his gut coil and tighten with need, his core spreading throughout the room to offer a teasing flick against the ice core. At the feeling of Daniel’s core trying to pulse out towards his own, Vlad nearly closes his eyes at the addicting sensation, thankful for his iron-like restraint. If it weren’t for his willpower, there was no doubt that he would have pushed the other halfa into the couch by now and claimed those lips in a deep kiss. 

For the most part, he feels confident that he won’t do such a thing anytime soon, trying to reinforce his defenses before it starts to crumble away into mere dust. If Vlad could withstand the urge for weeks, he could be fine. 

Danny met Vlad’s gaze dead on, eyes flashing a bright neon green that casted a green glow around his face. “As if you could.”

The words had left his mouth before he could bite his tongue, and his face flamed red.

It was a challenge.

In some part of his mind, he felt embarrassed, but he continued to stare the older halfa dead on, his competitive nature with Vlad along with his pride, and admittedly to some degree his dick (okay, if he were honest he was thinking far more with his second head than his first) would not let him back away from that challenge. 

His heart beat so loudly, it was the only thing the teen could hear, the sounds of the movie disappearing into the ether, gaze completely focused on the older halfa as if nothing else existed or mattered. His core continuing to try and bring in the fire that was just out of reach. 

Vlad’s confidence shattered when the mischievous halfa’s eyes started to glow the familiar neon green, offering a challenge that nearly short-circuited his brain. He holds back a soft growl, feeling desire start to pulse from his core and straight into Daniel’s, knowing it would be useless to try and fight it. With the way the ice core keeps flickering against his own, trying to draw it out, Vlad feels his defenses start to deteriorate.

And since when was he ever known to back down from a challenge?

On instinct, he transforms into Plasmius and smirks, those glinting fangs peeking out as he purrs softly, leaning closer to puff warm breath against the pale neck that is begging to be teased. 

“Perhaps. After all, the recipient must also want it.” Vlad purred, tugging the younger closer, lips almost brushing against the skin on his neck as he spoke. “I can’t do it unless you want it,” Vlad spoke softly, hand intertwining with Daniel’s, hoping the other knew how much he wanted this. 

His core sends another pulse of need, trying to wrap around the icy one.

::::::::::::::::

Danny turned at the unexpected transformation, his breath hitching as he watched those impossibly black-light rings envelope the other, transforming the man before him to the handsome drop-dead sexy ghost-vampire, his heart speeding up even more.

The heat that envelops the room has Danny’s core jumping for joy, pulsing back as much as it was embracing the warmth that so pleasurably pressed against it. 

Oh… Danny had not expected this reaction. Maybe in his fantasies and wishes, but for this to actually be happening...

He swallows slowly as the other leans closer, unable to breathe, unable to move as he feels the warm breath ghost over his skin, stares transfixed at the alluring blood-red eyes capturing his baby-blue orbs.

Oh yesssss…. Danny really wanted it…

The black gloved warm hand entwines with his human hand, and Danny transforms out of instinct, slightly brighter white rings (fuelled by the adrenaline of the moment) surround him as he transforms into Phantom, his glow just a little bit brighter than the last time, but still dull from exhaustion. 

Being so close to the younger halfa as he transformed set a wave of pleasure through Vlad’s spine, traveling until it reached his core and made it flair with desire. His hand tingles from the sensation of feeling Daniel transform against him, the intimacy of it sending his core aflame. 

Danny’s ice invites the fire core to wrap around in his chest the feeling sending electric sparks within his body.

Vlad sucked in a breath as the ice core answered him, swirling around until it twisted around his own and stayed there, pressing into him with the same amount of passion and need he felt. Vlad closes his eyes for a moment as he takes the time to enjoy the experience, biting his lips to stop the pleased sigh that threatens to escape. 

It was as if their cores were made for each other, like they were pieces of a puzzle that were finally slotting together after being separated for so long. Another shiver erupts from his body at the thought of what it meant for them, his possessive side starting to make itself known. 

Danny held his breath, core pulsing excitedly within his chest. Everything, the sensations coursing through his body and core, the impossible moment that seems to be occurring, the love he felt for the man before him, his mental exhaustion that made it hard to think logically… everything was soo overwhelming that he could not find words.

So he tilted his head instead, baring more of his neck to those sensual lips so close to his neck, needing those fangs to finally breach his skin as his body was wound up tight, as time seemed to stand still…

When Vlad reopened his eyes, Vlad felt all of his blood rush downwards at the sight of Daniel tilting his head and offering his neck for the taking. His breath, which was already shallow to begin with, hitched at the implications. 

Daniel wants this….

That was all Vlad needed to know and could ever hope for. 

Not tempting his luck, Vlad shifts to press Daniel against the sofa and slowly kiss along the length of the pale neck, his teeth scraping along the skin as he attempts to find the perfect spot. 

:::::::::::::::::

Danny very much leans back as the older halfa presses him against the couch, Plasmius’ white cape falling on them like a protective shield from the outside world. He watched wordlessly as his neon eyes still could not quite believe what seemed about to happen. Was Vlad fucking with him? The thought made his core constrict for the briefest of seconds, until the man above him started actually kissing along his sensitive neck, leaving the teen breathless.

His core pulsed rapidly in his chest, the soft kisses to his neck sending delightful shivers through his body, goosebumps rising in his skin as he tilts his head more to give Vlad more access.

He licks his lips as he feels the gentle scrape of those sharp canines, slightly squirming in anticipation as he feels his body heating up pleasantly with the other’s body heat right above him, the fire core so close to his own. 

This has to be a dream. Or a sleep deprived illusion. Or both. 

Whatever this was, hell if Danny wanted it to end. He could drown in these sensations for all of eternity.

Lifting his free hand, he gently wraps it around Vlad’s broad back, pressing only slightly and giving full permission for the man to claim his neck.

When Vlad finds the perfect spot, he carefully nips the area first.

Danny swallows a bit nervously as he feels the slight nip, body shuddering in anticipation and core pulsing excitedly as the hand on Vlad’s back fists the white fabric and tightens the hold on their joined hands. 

Vlad’s hand gently squeezes back against Daniel’s as he lets his fangs pierce the skin, trying to be as gentle as he could.

“Ooohhh!” Danny lets out a pleasurable gasp as the fangs break skin, back arching slightly at the puncture as both pain and pleasure delightfully wrap around his body, making his core sing with delight and wrap around the older halfa as if it did not want to ever let it go.

He hummed as the fangs left his skin, gasping at the lovely feeling of a wet tongue grazing the sensitive puncture spots, his body shivering at the sudden sharp pleasure that shot through his spine at the action. 

Vlad carefully retracts his fangs from the soft flesh. His tongue gently soothing the spot, kissing along the side of his neck again.

Danny’s core gave a contented pulse, butterflies fluttering in his stomach at the kisses that followed, the action seeming almost endearing and he was afraid to move or say a word. Afraid he would break the wonderful, magic that was this moment.

There was no way this was reality. 

Truthfully, Vlad wasn’t sure how he managed to keep restraining himself for this long, not when the outcome was like this. There had been too many nights where he laid awake on his bed, endless fantasies filtering through his racing mind. They all paled to the real thing, none of them truly preparing him for what it would feel like to have Daniel pressed against him, squirming with pleasure. His fantasies never prepared him for the way the other halfa would gasp in pleasure when his sensitive neck was finally pierced by fangs, the ice core clinging to his own. The sensation almost felt indescribable since Vlad could honestly say he had never felt anything more wonderful in his life. 

Could he have this? His whole life, Vlad had lost the ones he cared about and for a brief moment, he was terrified that he would lose the beautiful halfa in his arms. Being alone had become a staple of his life, becoming so accustomed to it that he was afraid to go back to it. 

It’s the icy core that puts his worries to rest, eyes fluttering shut at the content pulses that match those of his fire core. It was all the words he needed, understanding what Daniel was implying through the happy pulse. 

Pulling away from the other halfa it a task he can’t bring himself to do, needing to show how much he cares. While his core likely coveys his emotions, Vlad feels the urge to show Daniel, so there can be no room for doubt of the extent of his feelings. 

The free hand that wasn’t holding Daniel’s hand slides through the younger’s hair, carefully tugging so he can do something else that he’s longed to do for weeks. His crimson eyes meet neon green and he smiles softly, core pulsing gently.

Danny stares into those beautiful red eyes, the soft warm glow making his core do a flip in his chest. There was something in that gaze, that beautiful smile that seemed to light up Vlad’s face, the image melting his heart and made him feel even more close to the older halfa, his own eyes gazing lovingly back with a responding soft smile. His core pulsing faster the closer His core pulses faster as they get closer.

And at long last, Vlad closes the gap between them and lays a soft kiss to those plush lips, feeling his core wrap around Daniel in delight.


	14. Climax

This was far more than Danny could have ever imagined in his wildest dreams.

Danny hums in delight at the unexpected kiss and sparks explode as he finally tastes those soft lips, his core swirling with joy, dancing with the warmth in his chest. His arm comes up and embraces the older halfa, pressing their bodie’s close, wanting every inch of space between them to be erased as he returns the gentle kiss, responsive lips trying to convey all of the love the teen feels for the elder that words could never describe. To project all of the feelings and sensations the man made him feel and how much Vlad was truly wanted.

Kissing the wonderful young halfa was something Vlad had imagined doing on numerous occasions, even coming close a few times. 

Now, he can enjoy the sensation of their lips pressed together, his hand trailing up Daniel’s chest and feeling the core pulse against him. He almost freezes, the intimacy of their cores making a dangerous thing known to him. 

With how close their cores are, he can feel the weakness beneath the ice, almost as if someone has been burning it. Vlad offers a pulse of energy to the core, hoping he can heal what he can as he couldn’t help but wonder. Who would hurt the halfa in his arms?

Danny shivered with pleasure as Plasmius’ had slid down his body. The warm hand settled on his chest and helped him to feel a little bit of relief from the tense dull pain he had been carrying for the past few days. He hummed with appreciation through their kiss as his core vibrating contentedly.

Vlad felt relief wash over him when the ice core pulsed out, already feeling stronger and healthier than it had been a few minutes ago. It looked as if his offer of energy had been able to soothe some of the injuries to the core, and Vlad was more than thankful for that. The soft noise the younger halfa let out made his core purr, happy to know that he had succeeded in not only healing it slightly, but that it had also felt good. He makes a mental note to ensure he gets those sounds from Daniel’s lips again, already imagining what it would sound like when lost in pleasure. 

There was still a part of him that was in slight turmoil, worried that he had crossed the line and Daniel would hate whatever happened between them. The arm that was wrapped around him should have been an indicator that the younger wanted this just as much, but it was lost on Vlad for the time being, the fear of loneliness overshadowing the clear indication. 

He slowly pulls away from those lips, reopening his eyes to look back at Daniel, his face flushed. 

Danny slowly opened his eyes when their lips separated, gazing into that handsome face, he internally preened with pride as he saw how flushed the other halfa was with the kiss. This was certainly a side of Vlad he had not seen before, and he couldn’t help but think that Plasmius looked even more sexy with the magenta tint to his cheeks, mind interjecting other things he would love to do in order to make the other flush even more.

Uncertainty still swirling in his mind, Vlad gazed into the bright neon eyes. “Was that okay?” It takes him a few seconds to find his voice, which had become deeper and more gravely.

Vlad’s voice, deep and full of need made Phantom smirk, the question sounding silly, but adorable coming from the usually confident halfa. 

He slid his hand from Plamius’ back, cold fingers teasing the skin beneath the suit as it rose to the man’s black hair that defied gravity itself. Holding the man’s head steady, he lifted to join their lips once more, this kiss more needy and intense as he pressed his body against Vlad. Projecting his answer in the most heated kiss the 18 year old could muster, his other hand at Vlad’s back tightening his hold.

Vlad looked like he wanted this too, and Danny was all for it. Real or fantasy he wanted to ride this to the very end.

::::::::::::::::

Vlad felt his core pulse out at the sight of Daniel smirking beneath him, a pleasant green flush on the pale cheeks. It makes the younger look like some sort of ethereal mischief maker, who is laid out before him. The desire rises in his core again, which wraps around the other halfa happily. 

His breath hitches at the feeling of cold fingers trailing up his warm back, a delighted shiver rolling down his spine at the contact. His core feels relief at the temperature difference, greedily accepting the refreshing sensation. 

A soft sigh of pleasure escapes when Daniel presses forward to reclaim his lips, which happened to be all the answer he needed once again. He doesn’t hesitate to kiss back as he runs his warm hand down Daniel’s back, unzipping the hazmat suit in the process. Once it’s unzipped down to the waist, sliding his hands along the skin, blunt nails carefully scraping along the skin.

Danny arches his back as Vlad zips down his suit, gladly shifting to help the older halfa as his arms and torso are laid bare. The teen shivers as Vlad’s nails gently scrape down his bare skin, goosebumps rising with the touch as his core swirls around that tantalizing heat.

Nipping at the bottom lip, Vlad teases it with his tongue and presses forward, humming into the kiss as his power swirls around them. He slides his tongue past the parted lips as he portals them onto his bed, pressing Daniel into the mattress. 

His cape covers both of them like a veil as he inserts a thigh in-between Daniel’s parted leg, pressing their hips together.

:::::::::::::

Danny hums appreciatively when Vlad’s tongue invades his mouth, and his tongue dances with the elders, fighting for dominance. His hold on the older halfa tightens as he feels the energy swirl around them, recognizing the teleportation and fearing that Plasmius had regretted this and was actually about to leave him. 

His back hits a soft surface and he sighs in relief through their heated kiss, his core tightening its hold on the fire core, relieved that the older halfa was not going to leave him.

Vlad’s spicy scent surrounded him, and in the back of his mind identified the room as the master bedroom, and Danny’s core pulsed with even more excitement. 

His core flared and he let out a pleasured hiss when he felt the elder’s leg between his, feeling Vlad’s hard on against his hip and filling him with even more desire.

Knowing that he had Daniel underneath him on his silk bedsheets caused the raging inferno of his core to erupt with desire, the warmth spreading through his entire body, his cheeks flushing darkly with need. Having the halfa underneath him like this was a sensation that Vlad knew he would never forget, the feeling already etched into his memory for all eternity. 

What made the icing on the cake was the deliciously unique flavor that Vlad couldn’t even begin to describe, his tongue greedy for more. Daniel’s unique taste was addicting, and Vlad knew that he would never be able to get enough of the sweetness. 

Then there was the scent of the younger halfa that also drove him wild, the smell of peppermint making his core purr in pleasure. It was a scent that Vlad had long associated with the teenager, but now that he had the other pinned against his body, he could enjoy the smell even more. Even then, that smell was just as addicting as the taste of the other’s mouth. 

Everything about the teenager was addicting, from his personality and bright smile, all the way to his taste and scent. Vlad loved all of it, wanted to take his time and drink in all that the other halfa had to offer. He wanted to claim him, make it to where everyone knew who Daniel belonged to, and vice versa. 

Danny was quickly loosing himself to the heat of the passion ignited between the two. Having Plasmius above him, feeling the warmth of this core pressing against his own, hearing the breathy sounds coming out from between those luscious lips that had teased him for far too long was so incredibly addicting. 

And not enough. He needed more.

He angles himself just right, then trusts upwards, putting pressure on both of their members as he breaks the kiss and lets out a deep throated moan at how good it felt, eyes quickly opening to see the other’s reaction.

Before Vlad can deepen the kiss again, a heated moan escapes his lips at the sensation of clothed erections brushing against each other, his eyes fluttering open to stare at Daniel. His red gaze held fire, half-lidded with a need that threatened to consume all of him.

Danny’s neon eyes flashed as he stared transfixed at Plasmius’ expression.

God what the older halfa did to him...

An unbidden possessive growl emanates from his lips and he quickly slams his lips with Vlad’s once more, his hands desperately stroking the broad back of the man above him.

Vlad lets out a deep moan when lips crash against his own, the sound of the growl going straight to his already erect cock.

Being able to pull such delightful sounds from the elder halfa had Danny’s core going wild. Knowing that he was the one responsible for making the normally composed man let out such licentious sounds drove him even more to the edge, wanting to pull even more out of the sexy vampire above him. 

His touches were needy, wanting to feel the other’s skin, and he fumbled desperately in an attempt to figure out a way to remove the man’s shirt.

To fail, miserably. 

He lets out a frustrated growl this time between their kisses, and nips at the man’s lower lip in retribution for making this harder than it needed to be. 

Vlad sucks in a breath at the nip, shivering at the sensation. Knowing that Daniel was just as desperate had him moaning and carefully tugging at the white hair, angling the kiss to slide his tongue deeper into the mouth.

With Daniel distracted, Vlad makes his shirt intangible and lets it slide off, blue skin on full display. If it weren’t for the fact that his mouth was occupied, Vlad would have smirked. 

Speaking of which…

He removes his mouth from Daniel’s kiss swollen lips and trails kisses down his neck, stopping to leave possessive marks on the skin, fueling the possessive nature of his core.

Taking his time in marking the pale neck, Vlad felt a delighted shudder go through him at the thought of someone noticing the marks and knowing that Daniel was taken. He wants the entire world to know that the other halfa is unavailable, that his heart and core belong to someone else. Daniel was his, just as much as he was Daniel’s, and Vlad was going to make sure no one questioned it. His fangs scrape along the exposed skin, leaving dark marks that won’t heal for a few days. Like before, his tongue comes out to soothe most of them, sucking and biting all he can. 

He wastes no time in sliding his hands down the bare torso as he fights back for dominance, thumb rubbing against a nipple slowly, teasing it. 

Vlad’s dominance was overpowering, threatening to consume him whole and god it felt divine. 

But the teen wouldn’t go down without a fight, he never did. And his tongue and touches fought back for dominance. 

As Vlad left marks on his neck and skin, he knew some would be difficult to hide, but hell if he gave a damn at this moment. The need to mark the older halfa and be marked so great, that it overridden any thought about future consequences. 

He wanted to nip at that beautiful blue skin exposed before him, but in the current position, he was unable to do so as Vlad attacked his neck and collarbone. 

Taking advantage of the fact he no longer was wearing his white gloves, he scraped his nails along that blue broad back, and he smirked knowing he was leaving slight marks in their wake.

At the same time, he raises his leg, and graces the elder’s erect dick, moving to rub against it to make Vlad falter in his ministries. Taking the momentary distraction, he made use of his training to flip their positions, him now above the older halfa and straddling him. 

There was no way he was going to let Plasmius win this seduction game.

He smirked, neon green eyes shining with mischief and desire as he looked down at Vlad’s flushed face. For the first time seeing the older halfa below him under his power gave him an intense rush, and he bent down to nibble and suck on the man’s exposed neck. One hand held his weight while the other slid down that well-defined torso, feeling the contours of muscles as it trailed further down, determined to draw out as much of those delightful sounds as he could. 

:::::::::::::::::::::

As blunt nails rake along his blue skin, Vlad shivers at the contact, knowing full well that there will be marks there. The thought of Daniel leaving his own marks on him causes his core to flair with pleasure, the idea that he belongs as much to Daniel causes raw desire to swirl in his gut. 

Those hands scraping at his back encourages him to mark him more, mouthing at his collarbone as his fangs lightly pierce the skin again, licking it better. He’s about to repeat the process on the other side of his neck when pleasure shoots through his spine. 

He groans softly as Daniel purposefully rubs against his erection, the sensation making him pause at the sudden pleasure. Before he can regain his bearings, he’s suddenly being flipped and pressed against the bed, with the beautiful halfa straddling him. 

Fuck

Daniel looks beautiful like that, the glowing green eyes illuminating part of his face, making the flushed cheeks even more noticeable. Then there was that smirk that Vlad had the urge to kiss away, the sight of it making his heart skip a beat. He flushes more at the image above him, swallowing thickly.

Breath hitching, Vlad tilts his head to the side and lets the other halfa explore his neck, humming as a cool hand slides along his torso, taking its time. Vlad lets out a soft groan as Daniel finds a particularly sensitive spot on his neck, his hand lightly gripping the white hair. 

Danny’s core flares possessively when he sees Vlad tilt his head to the side, granting him permission to tease and mark, an instinctual part of him sparking with joy at the fact this incredible halfa lets him mark the blue skin, and god he wanted the man to belong to him alone. 

He notices the particular spot that seems to make the other keen, and he wastes no time in nipping and sucking that weak point on that soft neck further encouraged by the tight grip on his hair.

Oh the things he was planning to do to the older halfa…

Vlad uses his other hand not holding that snow-white hair to slide down the other’s stomach as it turns the hazmat suit intangible, deciding to forgo the act of stripping. Once Daniel is completely bare, he wraps a warm hand around the halfa’s erection, stroking slowly as he thumbs the slit, before giving another stroke.

:::::::::::::::::

Danny’s concentration wavers for a second with the warm hand trailing downward, and all but slips completely, breath hitching as his suit was phased off, a deep green blush tinting his tanned skin. 

The older halfa below him was very well formed and well-toned. Muscles that spoke of physical strength lined almost every part of the man’s body.

Not even close to his own physique.

Sure, Danny was not as scrawny as he had been when he was 14, having grown a bit taller and acquired some muscle from the ghost fighting and martial arts training, but he was still on the lean side. And compared to the gorgeous god below him, he couldn’t help but feel a little inadequate…

“Aaaahhhh, fuuuuckk…!” However, all those thoughts were set aside as a warm hand grasped him tightly, his back arching up and fuck, Danny’s world was spinning as heat threatened to consume him. 

Having Daniel attack the sensitive spot with his tongue and teeth nearly had Vlad whining in need, almost embarrassed at himself for making such noises. Only the other halfa would find a way to elect such sounds from his parted lips, no one else but Daniel could bring this side out of him. In a way, it was like there was a particular power that the younger halfa had over him, and if Vlad were any less stubborn, he would have readily succumbed to the pleasure and not fought back for dominance. 

Thankfully, the hand wrapped around his partner's erection effectively distracts the other, and holy shit, Vlad takes great pride and pleasure in drawing out such a wonderful sound from the other ghost. Enjoying all the moans that sound like music to his ears. 

Senses almost completely overwhelmed, Danny suddenly bit that blue neck desperately to stop himself from making any more embarrassing noises cause no one had ever touched him there before, especially like that. 

Vlad grunts as the other bites his neck, a delighted shiver rolling down his spine at the thought that he was the one driving all these wonderful noises. So much so, that the younger ghost felt the need to quiet himself. 

The fact that the other needs to quiet himself makes his core purr with pleasure, the possessive creature inside burning with desire. 

Phantom’s body trembled in pleasurable delight, his concentration having been thrown out the window with the overwhelming pleasure and heat. 

However, he would not be outdone.

Struggling to maintain some semblance of sanity while being hit with overwhelming sensations, he slid a hand further down, phasing off the elder’s pants, and grasping Vlad’s dick, making sure his hand sparked with gentle cooling energy as he began to pump. All the while struggling to keep an even pace as he desperately tried, and failed, to hold back embarrassing sounds that spilled from his lips.

Loving all the sounds Daniel lets loose, Vlad was about to use the distraction to his advantage when a cold hand wrapped around his own erection, slowly pumping him with a wavering pace. Moaning at the sensation, Vlad uses the last of his concentration to flip them over carefully, using his free hand to grab Daniel’s leg and let it wrap around his waist, ensuring there isn’t an inch of space between them.

Vlad presses forward and kisses Daniel hungrily, knowing that both of their lips would be bruised and swollen afterwards, but he’s loving every moment. The hand on the other’s leg slides down to rest on his hip, pulling the younger forward to where their cocks were brushing against each other with every slow thrust. He moves his arm to wrap around Daniel’s shoulders and keep him pressed against his chest, kissing along his shoulders every time he moves against the younger. 

Danny feels the world spin, air sucked out of his lungs as his back gently hits the soft mattress. He looks up at Vlad, his gaze full of want and need, yet tied with deep affection, and answers the needy kiss with one of his own as he wraps his free arm around that broad back, now caged by the older halfa. He wraps his legs around the other tightly, gasping from the friction and closeness of both their bodies and their cores. Both moving as one, as a missing piece had finally found its place. 

“You’re doing great, Daniel.” Vlad praises quietly, voice deep and husky as he nips the shell of his ear gently. “Perfect,” He praises again, fangs ghosting across a former mark. 

Phantom’s body shuddered violently at Vlad’s words, the praises rain down on him like fire, wrapping around his soul and making his core sing. And Danny is helpless to the older halfa above him. He belonged to Vlad, and Vlad to him. This man would be the only person who can claim his soul, his core, his body. 

He gazes up at Vlad eyes full on need and want, but also laced with love and devotion. God, this man meant so much to him, it hurt.

Those glowing-green eyes always manage to take his breath away with the depth of expression they hold within them. No matter what form they’re in, Vlad can always lose himself in those beautiful orbs, more than willing to let himself drown in them. Like right now, those bright eyes look up at him with an affection that makes his core vibrate with pleasure, never wanting to look away. His heart flutters at the knowledge that he was the only one that Daniel would ever look at like this, and that’s enough to spur him on to kiss him with more passion. 

There was so much love shining in those eyes and Vlad almost loses himself to them, nearly going over the edge because of it. Fuck, what would he ever do without the love from the other halfa? It seems to set his core aflame, the warmth pulsing outwards to wrap around both of them like a cocoon of protection. If he had the power to do so, Vlad would capture this moment in time itself, never letting this moment fade from existence. 

“Mine,” He purrs deeply, shifting to kiss him again, pouring all of his love and desire into the kiss.

The word vibrates through the younger halfa’s very core, filling him with indescribable warmth. Moving the hand that was on the broad back, he gently placed the hand on that strong blue cheek, just looking into those flaming red eyes, recording every single detail into memory and cherishing this very moment. At this moment, this place. Nothing else mattered. No one else mattered. 

The possessive love he felt in that single word made his heart melt and took his breath away. He meets the kiss with all the love he can give, trying to convey all of his emotions in that one gesture as they continued to move in sync. The tightness in his gut alerting him that he would not last long, his core pulsing rapidly and sending waves towards the man above him. 

A chilly hand on Vlad’s cheek makes him smile a bit as he leans into the touch, shifting to place a sweet kiss to the palm as he looks deep into Daniel’s eyes, knowing the actions would speak louder than words ever could. 

Vlad would never be able to get enough of this, his body, core, and heart already far too addicted to ever let the wonderful teenager disappear from him. It must be the same for Daniel as well, seeing as the younger clung to him with as much need and devotion, their moans starting to become one. 

He knows that it’s nearing the end, however. With the tightening of his stomach and the way it warms, Vlad can feel his release nearing. Closing his eyes, he presses their chest together as his core pulses with pleasure, thrusting against the other desperately. Wanting to push Daniel over the edge first, Vlad sinks his fangs into his neck again and licks the injury, kissing all over the available skin as he whispers praises into his ear.

Danny’s thrust become more wild as the friction increases, his body would tight as the heat reaches a fever pitch, the bite followed by praises was too much for the younger halfa. 

“Aaaahhh!” He couldn't bite back the sound of pure release, desperately clinging to Vlad as pleasure overwhelmed his senses, erupting and spilling over between them, his back arching as his body trembled riding out the pleasurable waves, core sparking chilled pulses piercing the warm core above. 

Vlad sucks in a quiet breath, holding back a sound of pleasure that threatens to escape his lips when the sensation of Daniel’s ice core pulses into his own. He takes in the sight and sounds of the younger halfa, and while it might be a cliché, watching Daniel become undone is what sets him over the edge, a deep groan tumbling past his lips. His core pulses towards Daniel, lingering against the ice as the aftershocks of his orgasm start to fade away, leaving him spent. 

His high receding, Danny’s body sunk bonelessly into the bed sheets, completely and utterly exhausted. White rings encircling his form and transforming him back to human once more, but still buzzing pleasantly in his chest. Heart slowing from its rapid tempo as the teen just laid there, his eyes closed and a soft smile on his face.

‘Wow…’ He thought to himself, though he wouldn't dare voice that opinion out loud. The man’s large ego did not need a boost. 

Speaking of…

Light blue eyes opened to look at the older halfa, waiting. Almost nervously. Would Vlad regret what just happened?

All of his instincts told him no. What had just happened had been soo intimate. He could literally feel Vlad’s emotions, happiness, need, protective,

Affection.

Danny’s face flushed, and he bit his lower lip, looking slightly away. Very much unsure of what to say. It was not like the teen was used to feeling, let alone, talking about intense emotions. 

His eyelids began to droop slightly. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and exertion from recent activities beginning to take their toll on the young halfa.

While he is nowhere as exhausted as Daniel, Vlad transforms back into his human half and gazes at the other for a moment, almost in disbelief at what has just occurred. The smile on Daniel’s face causes his heart to flutter and swell with adoration, the urge to run his fingers through his hair still as prevalent as ever. 

There was part of him that was worried that things would be awkward between them now, but he shoved the ill-placed thought aside, knowing it was merely his anxiety. 

Daniel had wanted that just as much as he had, but it did leave the question on where their relationship stood now. What they had just done was far too intimate to be a ‘friends with benefits’ type of situation. 

Looking over the exhausted halfa, Vlad knew the conversation wouldn’t happen for a while. The teenager needed to sleep, and badly at that. 

Carefully, he shifts to the side and gently pulls the other closer, letting the teenager use his chest as a pillow as his fingers gently caress the disheveled hair for a moment.

Danny was only half awake when Vlad shifts position and does not protest when the elder pulls him into the warm, comfortable chest, his core calm and content. The teen, too exhausted to remember why he should be staying awake, sighs in contentment, and cuddles further into the cozy, protective embrace. 

His core however, gives a small shudder in worry, but is too fatigued to really do much as Danny’s body slacks as sleep overcomes his mind, his breathing slow and steady.

And for the first time in many Days, Danny was able to rest undisturbed by the nightmares that had plagued his dreams, instead enveloped by a gentle warmth that promised care and protection wrapped around his sleeping form, and the teen slept on, a calm smile on his relaxed face. 

* * *

A/N:

Tension was so thick, that when it snapped, it snapped. Lol!

And you can thank AnaTheOtherAlien for the wonderfully brilliant chapter name! Lol

  
Thank you all for your patience! Finals, Holidays, and holiday writing kinda pushed the writing back some time. lol.


	15. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!
> 
> Sorry this has been sooo late in updating! Been going through stuff (aside from university and work) so been really slow at getting this out. 
> 
> The next chapter should be coming out this or next week, as it is about halfway ready. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

  
::::::::::::::::::::::::Sometime Around Midday:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

  
A woman approximately in her 50’s with black hair dressed in a business suit sat at a desk, filling out paperwork, unaware of the shadow that silently entered the room.

Suddenly, the woman flinches, a pained expression crossing her face for just a brief second.

Then, her lips extend into a smirk, red eyes flashing maliciously. 

The woman possessed by the ghost lifts the landline phone at the desk and diles a number, waiting as the call rang through. 

“Hello?” A different woman’s voice comes through.

“Hello.” The ghost responds in the human woman’s voice. “Am I speaking to Madeline Fenton?”

“Yes. This is her.”

“Well.” The woman’s tone became purposely regretful, as red eyes darted to the name plaque on the desk. “This is Principal Ishima. I regret to inform you that your son, Danny Fenton, did not attend classes last Friday, nor has he attended his classes today.”

“What?”

“Yes.” The ghost possessing the principal continued. “Unfortunately for the past couple of weeks your son has shown an increase in his problematic behaviors. Skipping school, failing to pay attention in class, not turning in assignments.”

A voice of frustration on the other line made the ghost smirk, and it continued to speak. “Additionally, one of the teachers overheard a student mentioning that Danny was working for Major Master’s at his mansion?”

The sound of a shocked gasp made the possessed principal’s smirk widen, red eyes flashing in delight. The ghost knew full well how pissed Maddie would be knowing that Vlad was anywhere near her son after the lodge incident, even if that had been a few years back by now. “As a concerned education staff, I cannot advise that Danny continue working at this time, as his focus should be solely on his failing grades if he wishes to graduate this year.”

“... Thank you Principal Ishima. I will be sure to correct the problem.” 

Fangs poked from the principal’s devious smile, eyes bright red. “Only happy to help, my dear.”

:::::::::::::::::

To say Maddie Fenton was pissed would be an understatement of the century, a deep frown on her face as she placed her phone down and crossed her arms. It was a look that made her husband wince and go up to her once he entered the room, hesitantly shifting from one foot to the other. 

“Is everything okay, Mads? You look-“ As the glare was on him now, Jack faltered, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. She lessened the glare and sighed, suddenly feeling drained. There wouldn’t be any use in taking this out on her loving husband, so she spoke up instead. 

“I got a call from the school just now. Apparently, Danny’s been missing school…again.” She had thought that her son and his failing grades had been a thing of the past, but now she was beginning to worry. The last time this had happened, Jazz had still been here to talk to him and give the teenager advice, but she was away at Harvard. 

Jack also frowned at that, looking a bit disappointed. He was about to say something when Maddie cut him off. 

“I think I should have a talk with Danny. We both know I’m better at…those sorts of things.” She smiled at her husband, who huffed, but relented anyway. Jack knew she was right, so he didn’t bother to argue with her on it. “Why don’t you head back to the lab and finish working on the new ecto-blaster? I finished the new calculations.” 

Jack lit up like a Christmas tree and kissed her forehead. “Best wife ever!” He exclaimed, running down to the lab, leaving Maddie with a love-struck look on her face until she remembered what she needed to do. 

With a sigh, she grabbed the phone and dialed a number she never wanted to.

::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad had put on some clean clothes at some point, deciding to let Daniel regain his rest as he finished working on one of his reports. He still had a content smile on his face, feeling at ease for the first time in what felt like years. 

That was until his phone started to ring. Sighing, he glanced at the number and paused once he saw the caller ID, dread sinking into his gut. On the third ring, he finally picked up. 

“Ah, Maddie, what can I-“

“I don’t know what’s going on, Masters, but this involves Danny.” She said seriously, making the man falter. “Apparently he missed class on Friday, and today.” The woman continued unhappy. 

“Is there a reason you’re keeping my son from his classes?” Maddie accused immediately, which caused alarm bells to start ringing in Vlad’s mind. He gaped, confused as to how she knew about Daniel being here. The younger halfa hadn’t told anyone of their training, had he? Even if he had, this was an impromptu meeting this morning, and no one but the two of them should have known. 

Something wasn’t adding up. 

But, being the man he was, Vlad was quick to come up with an excuse and twist the truth. Besides, he didn’t want the younger halfa to get into trouble.

“I’m afraid I don’t know about Daniel missing school on Friday.” Vlad confessed. “However, he is recuperating at my manor after a ghost attack.” It was silent for a few minutes, until Maddie finally spoke back up, her voice in shock. 

“Excuse me?” She asked over the phone, but no longer sounding angry. 

“I’m thankful I was in the same area as he was. This particular ghost was rather temperamental, but seeing I was closer to my mansion, I brought him here instead. Now I know I should have informed you first, but my priorities were a little mudded at the moment.” 

“Oh my God! Is Danny-“ 

“He’s fine, I assure you. He should be back home either tonight or tomorrow. He’s fast asleep right now and I have no wish to wake him.” Vlad was telling the truth regarding that, and was grateful to hear Maddie sigh in relief on the other end. 

“Vlad…thank you.” Maddie mumbled, starting to feel awkward now. 

“It’s not a problem. I’m always glad to help Daniel.” He said, hanging up the phone with a dark look, growing suspicious.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

It was… nice… soft and warm.

His body laying on what felt like a soft cloud, a gentle energy surrounding him that felt so calm, so protective.

He felt contentment as he started to rise from his slumber, his mind taking note that he was not in his own bed, which would normally alarm him, but didn’t. 

The energy that surrounded the room, the scent… all made him feel at home, and safe.

Baby-blue eyes squinted as he started to register where he was at.

And what had recently happened.

Blushing profusely, the teen buried his face in his pillow, feeling slightly embarrassed. That had certainly not been a part of the plan, and a part of him couldn’t help but wonder what Vlad thought of him. And yet, through the embarrassment and the slight worry, he also felt his heart flutter with joy at the intimacy the two shared earlier that morning, and his core gave a happy pulse, purring in delight.

Which did not receive an immediate answer.

Danny sat us quickly, worried sky-blue eyes scanning the room as he looked around frantically for the older halfa. 

Unable to locate him, the teen began to worry, his core giving a nervous twitch. What if Vlad regretted what had happened? What if their fragile relationship they had just established not even a week ago was ruined? All because he couldn’t keep his stupid hormones in check!

He scrambled quickly off of the bed, slightly tangling in the burgundy silk sheets, cursing the overlarge King-sized sheet. 

Stumbling out of the bed, he pauses slightly, realizing he was wearing clothes, and was momentarily confused, did Vlad dress him? Was that a good sign or a bad sign?

Then, he almost face-palmed when he remembered that his clothes were removed as Phantom, not as Fenton, a small corner of his mind wondering if he would still have clothes on should he transform. 

But his immediate concern was to locate the older halfa. Though… was that a good idea?

If Vlad regretted what had happened, would he even want to see him?

*Disgusting waste of space*

The nightmare voice echoed in his head, making him flinch. But then another thought occurred.

He did not have another one of those fucked-up nightmares last night!

Danny nearly jumped for joy if it weren’t for the other main concern.

But, Vlad had wanted it too, right?

His cheeks reddened as he remembered the gentle caresses, the kisses. The warm fire core wrapping around his with gentle strength. The delicious bites and the soft licks that followed.

The praises that melted his core...

He straightened, steeling his resolve. 

Regardless of the outcome, he would have to face Vlad one day or another. Might as well get it over with…

He reached out his senses, locating the other halfa. His ice core tried to send out a cooled pulse towards the direction, but he held it in, not sure how the other would react. 

Taking a deep breath, he walked out of the bedroom and made his way down the stairs, heart pounding faster the closer he got and he half froze at the entryway to the room Vlad was in.

Hesitating, he bit his lower lip. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea? Should he just leave a note and go?

No. He was never afraid of facing Vlad. This time would not be an exception. 

Swallowing thickly, he opened the door slowly to the room, to face whatever reaction awaited him.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad was still on edge following the phone call that had happened about an hour ago, a pile of paperwork at his desk as he stared blankly at it. For the past hour, the elder halfa had been looking at the papers, but unable to focus on the endless words. 

How did Maddie come to know that Daniel was with him? From what he knew, Daniel hadn’t discussed their meetings with anyone, let alone his protective mother. If his close friends had no idea, then how could his mother have known?

Suddenly, Vlad felt a sense of dread that also made no sense. 

Someone had to be spying on them, right? But, if that were the case, wouldn’t they have disclosed the fact that both he and Daniel were part ghost? How could they even spy on them? His manor was well guarded and only certain people had access to it. The only beings that could spy on them undetected were-

Ghosts. 

And even then, he would have felt their signature as soon they stepped forth into his domain. 

It wasn’t adding up at all and Vlad, being the person he was, hated not knowing. 

The billionaire was so lost in thought that he almost didn’t notice the shift in atmosphere, signaling that Daniel was close by.

A wave of apprehension coursed through his body like a tidal wave, worrying about a number of things at the same time. One of his main worries was Daniel himself- while he had felt the love in their…activities, there was still a part of him that was worried that the younger halfa would regret it, or even hate him for what happened. 

Next, was the call with Maddie. How was he to broach that subject with the teenager? While his excuse had been near perfect, he didn’t want to add more stress to the other halfa. How would he handle the fact that they were potentially being watched? 

Danny had frozen at the door, all courage to enter almost washed away when he felt the anxiety pouring off of the older halfa in waves. 

OMG, did Vlad regret what happened.

The teen swallowed the knot that was in his throat, his core anxiously twirling in his chest. 

But… It made no sense!

He had a clear memory of the feelings he felt from Vlad as they were… doing things. How could the elder suddenly do a 180 degree flip all of a sudden?

Maybe… it was something else?

Regardless, he had to know, one way or another. He steeled his resolve, ready to transform into Phantom in the worst case scenario, pushing down visions of his nightmares, steeling himself to grab Cujo and run the hell away if he needed to. 

And he fully opened the door, nerves high.

Despite all of Vlad’s worries, his core gave an automatic happy pulse when Daniel entered the room, a soft smile playing on his lips at the sight of the other. 

God, just the sight of Daniel turned him into a lovesick fool. 

“Daniel,” Vlad rose from his desk and came closer.

The happy pulse coming from the older halfa kinda threw Danny for a loop and he was totally confused, especially when the billionaire gave a welcoming smile and walked toward him with no apparent intention of causing harm.

Hesitantly, his core gave an answering pulse, but retreated quickly, the fear of being burned returning slightly from the anxiety he had felt from the older halfa just a minute ago.

Vlad’s fingers gently running through the black hair. “How did you sleep?” He mumbled, unable to keep his hands to himself, seeing as the other brushed across the younger halfa’s.

Danny sighed in relief when Vlad ran his fingers through his hair, the feeling (that was now becoming quite frequent) calming and relieving his prior worry. 

But he couldn’t help but wonder what had Vlad been worried about?

The teen gave a bright smile at the question, avoiding leaning too much into the petting. “Good, actually!” Which was quite true. Aside from the softness of heaven that was the mattress and sheets he actually did not have a nightmare!

He then gave Vlad a sly smile. “I’m thinking about taking your old advice and using my powers to steal. I’m soo gonna steal your bed and replace the one in my room. Cause your’s is way too comfortable to be legal.”

“I’m glad you like my bed that much,” Vlad joked, feeling a sense of satisfaction that the younger halfa slept so well on his king-sized bed. “I have to admit that’s it much better with you there.” There was no use in denying that, and Vlad wanted nothing more than to let Daniel know that what they had done was not lost on him. 

He loved every moment of it, his heartbeat quickening at the memory of Daniel being so close to him, not an inch of space between them. 

Somehow, that had felt like home to him. In that moment, all of his loneliness washed away and he was left with the one person he wanted. Hopefully, that sentiment was returned. 

It had to be, didn’t it? There was not a chance any of their emotions had been faked, and seeing as Daniel isn’t yelling at him, that part of his former worry is soon forgotten.

Danny’s face flamed, embarrassed by the other’s statement going directly to the point. He looked away, slightly hunching in embarrassment. “Y-Yeah, well… maybe I’ll just have to steal you too…” He jokes softly, face getting redder as he is soo unable to look the elder in the eyes.

Though his core gave a happy pulse towards the older halfa, giddy and relieved that the other did not seem to regret what had happened, because he certainly didn’t.

Though, that really left the question as to what the hell they were now…

It was tempting to just continue onward without talking about the elephant in the room, and Danny would have been more than happy to, if the older halfa hadn’t been so anxious just prior to him entering the room.

His expression took on a serious one, as he looked Vlad in the eyes, his heart pounding a million miles an hour. “I-Is everything… ok?” Clear concern swirling in those sky-blue eyes.

Before Vlad had a chance to comment about Daniel stealing him, he catches the expression on the younger's face, shifting from joking, to serious. He feels a slight wave of anxiousness claw at his chest, dreading the words that could come out. 

That question had Vlad pausing and frowning, unsure of what to say and how to say it without causing too much concern. Then he feels a slight twinge of guilt go through him, knowing why Daniel had asked him that question. 

With his own worry, Vlad had forgotten that not only were their cores already sensitive to each other, but after their events from the morning, they were bound to sense each other more. He keeps stroking the dark hair, finding that it soothes him as well, for reasons that are sure to make him look even softer in the eyes of others. 

Daniel was probably just as worried as he was about their respected reactions, and the urge to squash that feeling arises quickly.

“If you’re referring to what we did, I have no regrets, Daniel.” Vlad whispered, smiling at him more, hoping he conveys everything. “I will never regret that.” He promises, hoping that his words will ease some of the anxiety. 

Danny feels a wave of relief wash through him at Vlad’s words smilling gently and feeling warmth in his heart and he did not stop the joyous pulse from his core. “... I won’t either…” He whispers softly, still too uncomfortable talking about these kinds of things to look the elder in the eye. Grateful that the stroking of his hair served to calm him enough to have said even that.

“As for the real issue….your mother called me. She somehow knew you were here.” Vlad confessed, letting his hands drop to his sides. “Which frankly, makes so sense to me.” He adds. “I told her you were attacked by a ghost, which was why you were resting here…” Vlad eyes the marks on Daniel’s neck, a pleased pulse flowing from his core.

Danny’s head snapped up immediately when Vlad mentioned his mother. “W-What?!” He stares at the older halfa with wide worried eyes, searching the sapphire ones to make sure that had not been some joke.

Then he looks down in thought. There just was absolutely no way his mom should have known he was here of all places! 

Thank god for Vlad’s cunning. At least he won’t be in trouble about missing school today. Maybe he should call her soon to let her know he’s okay.

Oh, shit! He glanced towards a wall clock, noticing it was already four o’clock and winced. Speaking of calling! 

Everytime he had to leave early or skip class due to ghost activities, he always tried to text his friends to let them know that he was okay so they would not worry. It was four freaking o’clock and he hadn't sent a single word to them! 

Maybe they had been the ones to tell his mother? Because they would have probably tracked his phone by now, worried sick about him. And yet, that didn’t make any sense! If they had tracked him here of all places they would have geared up and broke in, guns ablazing. 

He should reassure his friends as soon as possible before they did track him here.

Danny inserted his hand in his pocket but froze, a worried expression on his face. Where was his phone?! 

He checked his other pocket, looking on the ground around him. “Ah, have you seen my phone?” He was internally panicking now and was about to make a dash to the living room. Maybe it had fallen on the couch when they had been watching the movie?

He just had to find it before his friends found out he was here!

::::::::::::::::

Vlad could feel the anxiety rolling off Danny like waves, feeling bad for suddenly causing the stress in the once content halfa. The teenager had finally earned some decent sleep, and now he was fretting over the strange and surreal situation they had gotten themselves into. A situation that wasn’t adding up, that is. Taking a glance towards the younger, Vlad wished he could tug the younger halfa back into his bed and hide him away from the demands of the outside world. 

A world where there was a mysterious violent ghost, worried parents, and shitty teachers. 

Vlad wasn’t sure where to add Daniel’s friends, seeing as they were usually there for him when the younger halfa needed them most. They were also teenagers themselves, but they all seemed to take the roll of the adult when it was needed. 

But, his friends were just as protective as his mother was. If they knew where Daniel was, they would have (tried) to blast his mansion down by this point. 

How was it that Maddie knew, but Daniel’s friends did not? 

Another oddity to add to his suspicions.

When Daniel mentions a phone, Vlad frowns, mind racing as he tries to recall where it might have been placed. 

Which brought him to the realization that he hadn’t seen Daniel use it all morning. 

“I don’t remember you bringing your phone. The last I saw it was…” He paused, more suspicious thoughts running through him. “In your room.” Vlad stated.

"You were in a hurry to get to Cujo." Vlad remembers seeing the phone left alone.

“Aww shit!” The teen exclaimed as he facepalmed himself, suddenly remembering that yes, in his haste he had forgotten to grab his phone. 

Then, he frowned in confusion. If Tucker and Sam did not know where he was, how the hell did his mom. 

Vlad was right. It made no sense how his mother found out. 

Danny sighed tiredly. Even with the hours of sleep, he needed way more rest if he was going to recover from the days he did not sleep at all or the stress from it all. Now add this current stress and why the hell couldn’t his life be simple for once. 

“Well, at least my friends weren’t able to track me here…” He tried to look at the brightside. Because if his phone had been here, they would have known his location. That would have been utterly disastrous.

But he had to let them know he was okay, before they blew a casket or found some other means to locate him. Luckily they have yet to use the Fenton Boomerang, but who knew how long till they resorted to using the device, or something else that may reveal his location. 

He looked to the floor, his gaze downcast, his core sending a sad pulse. “I have to go…” 

Vlad had to look at the bright side as well, glad that two teenagers weren’t attempting to plow into his mansion and start attacking him. However, that bright side came with an overcast mood, one that would turn glum as the day went on. 

Daniel had to leave. The billionaire knew that it was going to come to this no matter what, but that didn’t stop the ache of pain that came with losing Daniel so soon. If it were up to him, the teenager would be in bed right now, curled up against him as he let himself rest after endless nights of no sleep. 

Feeling the sad pulse makes him offer a small smile, his core giving a pulse in return, trying to linger against the other and tempt him to stay. Withdrawing his core, Vlad moved closer to stroke the pale cheek with his thumb, enjoying the last few moments of their intimacy. 

Danny closed his eyes as he felt the fire core’s warmth, feeling slightly reassured that the older halfa is going to miss him as much as he will miss the elder. 

He shuddered at the pleasant feel of the thumb against his cheek as he slightly flushed, very much unused to this kind of open affection.

“I know,” Vlad mumbled, caressing him for a few more seconds before removing his hand. “I’m tempted to keep you here,” Vlad joked, forcing himself to not tug Daniel against his chest, knowing it would be harder to let him leave if he did. 

Danny’s sky-blue eyes rose to meet the dark-ocean orbs, letting out a chuckle at the older’s admission. “When were you ever not tempted to keep me next to you?” He teased back, trying to lighten the sad mood that had settled between them. 

Those words almost make Vlad shiver, his core giving a content pulse when he realizes how symbolic it truly is. He had been so desperate to make Daniel his son for nearly two years but as time went on, it had changed around the younger halfa. The truth was, he had always felt a sense of contentment whenever Daniel was by his side, and now he knew why. 

The pull he had felt to keep Daniel close by was all leading up to this, wasn’t it? There had always been something there and once the other halfa had matured, it finally presented itself into what they had now. Their growing relationship had been a thing from the start, and now it could blossom into its full potential. 

There was no telling how long it would take for it to blossom into what it could be, but Vlad was going to enjoy any moment he could spend with Daniel and soak up their shared intimacy.

Looking at the younger halfa makes him worry about whatever lies out there, his instinct to take Daniel to Wisconsin and keep him there growing more and more. He knows he can’t do that, though, so he sighs out. 

“Please be careful, Daniel.” Vlad begs, grabbing the younger hand to place a gentle kiss to the knuckle, similar to what he did in the kitchen.

Danny smiles reassuringly, wavin away the other’s worry. “I’m always careful fruitloop.”

White rings envelop him, changing him into Phantom, his light more brighter than before from the sleep he had desperately needed. 

He was relieved to see that yes, he was fully clothed, deciding not to question how that worked since the disappearing and reappearing of things to and from his transformation was a mystery.

He floated up into the air, legs changing into that long, sleek tail, and the teen hesitated for a second, biting his lower lip as he frowned at the older halfa deep in thought, his core pulsing a little bit anxiously and his checks tinting a light green.

‘Screw it.’

He suddenly flew right in front of Vlad, quickly wrapped his arms around the broad shoulders and gave the man a very heated kiss. Full of passion, and the desire not to let go, yet full of future promise as he pressed his body tightly against the billionaire. His long tail slowly coiled around the older halfa’s body, the tails cooled temperature teasing through Vlad’s clothes, and the natural flow of the tail caressing where it touched the other. His icy core wrapped around Vlad with gentle coolness, making use of the advantage that the older halfa was in human form and completely encasing the man with protection.

Vlad felt himself suck in a breath when the other halfa flew back to him, soon capturing his lips in a passionate kiss that had his core flaring gently with passion. He could feel Daniel’s emotion through the kiss, and it stole his breath away, leaving him needing to return the passion with his own. Slowly he let a hand thread through the snow-white hair, tugging it closer and relishing the feeling of the chill that wraps around him. Then there’s that wonderful ghostly tail that tempts him further, but he resists the urge to turn into Plasmius and let his own coil around the teasing tail. Vlad shivers at the chill, loving the way it cools him down.

He allows himself a moment to dip into temptation as he tugs the other closer, letting him know how much he will be missed through the kiss

Danny pressed even further. The kiss was delightful! And the older halfa’s response only made his core pulse faster, tempted as hell to stay and continue. 

But, he really had to go. 

Separating from the kiss, face a deep green flush, Phantom let go of the embrace, tail uncoiling while giving a last teasing flick as he quickly flew out of the room, not saying another word. 

Vlad almost growled in dismay when they separated. 

It had taken all of his strength to stop from reclaiming those tantalizing lips, knowing it’s time for them to part ways for now. 

One of the things that helps him to relax is the promise for more, his entire being already far too addicted to their intimacy. 

Sapphire-eyes watched the halfa leave, a small but content smile on his face as he heads back to his study to finish his work.


	16. Protection

Note: Sometimes there will be a ‘::::::::’ between lines, this indicates a change in perspective that might go a little bit back in the conversation/scene. Remember that this is an rp, and sometimes it kills the flow of the writing to match timing between characters, so to avoid this, that symbol will be the indication that the character is responding to the other character on something a little bit earlier. It will barely appear (cause we do our best to match for our readers) but it will sometimes be there.

We hope ya’ll enjoy!

_________________________________

“I’m fine mom!” Danny yelled back down, trying to keep the anger from his voice as he dashed up the stairs, to the bathroom, quickly closing the door behind him. He took a moment to lean against the closed door, sagging from irritation and stress. 

Those had been some very distressing and frustrating few hours…

First, before he had made a call with the Phantom Phone to his two friends on the way back from Vlad’s territory (grateful that his Phantom phone had not been left at the house like his normal phone had). That had not been a pleasant conversation.

An argument broke out between him and Sam. She had been incredibly pissed because he had worried them. Tucker had been concerned as well, but at this point he just seemed plain disappointed and probably just fed up with it all. 

He couldn’t blame them. 

Their friendship was a bit strained even before the truce with Vlad. Danny couldn’t shake his paranoia even with less ghosts attacks, which pretty much had led him to just not share his feelings with them as much. In short, Danny just started to pull away from them.

Then, after he started training with Vlad he started to get these weird feelings about the older halfa (which he now knew was attraction) that was weirding him out, and hell if he was going to share that with them. They did notice something was up, and tried to get him to talk, which he wouldn’t, and well, he started pulling further away.

But, when those nightmares happened, that’s when he really pulled away almost completely. 

He had been too mentally and physically exhausted to deal with much and also not wanting his friends to see him so… broken. So he kept putting up excuses to not meet up. Lies about ghost attacks or visits to the ghost zone that never happened.

His friends had hella patience for him. Always had. But today, almost an entire day of them worrying sick about him, only for him to turn up okay, seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

He was a shitty friend, wasn’t he?

After that stressful encounter, he returned home, to encounter more stress. His mother had her mama bear mode activated and would not take ‘I’m fine’ for an answer, dragging him down to the lab and examining him head to toe for injuries. 

Thank god he and Tucker modified the scanning equipment to ignore his ectosignature in the computer readings.

His face flushed a little at the memories. His mother was kind of the last person he wanted to see the marks on his neck…

And yet… at the same time felt sort of smug satisfaction that he had those marks and that she was seeing them on him, not her. 

He shook his head, refocusing his thoughts to look at himself in the mirror, seeing multiple bandages on his neck and some peeking out from under his shirt. He grit his teeth. He had not liked his mom touching those marks.

Vlad’s marks.

He growled, yanking off the bandages, and staring at the reflection proudly, his core giving a happy pulse. A part of him wanted to display these marks. Those bruises and small puncture wounds symbolized that he belonged to Vlad, and he felt a sort of satisfaction knowing that the older halfa also had marks that indicated that the elder belonged just as much to him, and him alone.

But he brushed aside his possessive feelings for the time being. Of course he could not just display those marks like he would like to, but that did not mean he had to help those heal faster than they would without the bandages. 

His thoughts traveled to the older halfa, and he wondered what Vlad was doing at this time.

It was only around eight at night, so the older halfa was more than likely still awake. Maybe he will give the older halfa a visit later tonight after his parents go to sleep.

His heart did a flip as he thought about it, his cheeks flushing as he remembered their intimate moment earlier this same morning, his core wanting to reach out to that warm embrace. 

Wow, they really had done that, hadn’t they?

It was still somewhat surreal to the young halfa. What they had done had happened completely unexpectedly, and most unbelievable, was that Vlad was also attracted to him. 

And now, he definitely felt the urge to spend even more time with the man. 

But, maybe it was too soon?

He had heard that one does not want to look desperate to the partner and call/visit too quickly. And he most certainly did not want to seem overeager and scare the older halfa away.

Which actually brought up a good question… What were they now?

He sighed, rubbing his face, too stressed out from the past few hours. Maybe he should just rest for the remainder of the night. Now that he was not having nightmares, he should take advantage and get some much needed sleep.

He can figure it all out tomorrow.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{

Danny jolts awake, sweaty and shaking, heart beating a million miles an hour and he can hardly catch his breath. 

“Nnoo…” He holds his head in despair. Beyond frustrated. 

Why? 

Why is he having those horrid nightmares again? They stopped! 

...Didn’t they?

He gave a pitiful whine, falling back on the bed, staring at the glow-in-the-dark stickers on his ceiling, his core rattling in his chest unnerved.

A glance to his left at his alarm clock told him it was eleven at night. 

And there was no way he was going to go back to bed, not after that nightmare.

Should he visit Vlad?

No. What excuse would he have to randomly show up at this time? He was sure neither of them knew when they would start their training again. He should just give it a day. Maybe he will visit tomorrow or something.

Right now, maybe a flight around town will do him some good.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A nagging sensation lingered at the back of his mind for the remainder of the day, unnerved by something he couldn’t quite place. Daniel had been gone for only a few hours, yet Vlad could feel his missing presence sorely. His mansion felt even more empty without the lively teen, but the last thing he needed to do was dwell on it too much. 

Being clingy at the start of whatever this was would be a bad idea, even if his heart and core yearned for the younger to be at his side, where he belonged. A soft shudder trails down his spine at the thought and he bites his lips gently, thinking of keeping Daniel at his side without everyone getting in the way. 

It didn’t help that the younger halfa was obviously in distress lately, but no one (besides his friends potentially) seemed to notice or care. While he didn’t want to question Maddie and Jack’s parental practices, he could only wonder if they actively paid the teenager much attention. He felt the same way about his so-called teachers that barely glanced in the younger’s direction. There had been one teacher who had shown concern and care, but from what his past days of spying told him, the literature teacher was for underclassmen and not upperclassmen. 

It made his blood boil that none of the apparent “adults” were picking up on the distress and exhaustion, but instead showing him disappointment. They had no idea what Daniel already went through on a day-to-day basis, but now with the combination of factors that were still unknown, the younger’s life was becoming more of a hassle. It hadn’t taken him long to notice the dark bags under the eighteen-year-olds eyes, the image a stark contrast to what the teen usually looked like.

How had no one picked up on it? How come the teachers hadn’t pulled Daniel to the side to question if he were okay or not? Did Maddie and Jack even give their son the same attention that they gave to ghost hunting? All of these thoughts race through his mind as he proofread his reports, his thoughts elsewhere. 

And to make it worse, there was the potential threat of a violent ghost that had nearly destroyed Cujo, who believed Daniel to be in danger. 

Daniel was dealing with too much on his plate and it honestly broke Vlad’s heart to see how the once optimistic teen had shifted into the sleep-deprived stressed ghost. Then, there was also the issue with the younger halfa’s core. It was as if something had purposefully scorched it for a period of time, weakening the already drained halfa. 

Tossing the forgotten papers on his desk, Vlad gets up to walk around his study as his mind starts racing further, knowing he needs to do something-anything to keep Daniel safe. 

But what? What could possibly do that would ensure the safety of the younger halfa? His first thought was to take Daniel away to Wisconsin and tutor him, seeing as his current teachers were too bothered to care for their student. 

The sad thing was he knew all too well how bright Daniel truly was, even if others didn’t. It was there, hidden beneath the layers of stress that came from crime-fighting and multiple other things. How many times had the other halfa foiled a well thought out plan, or even tricked him by being cunning? 

It appeared that the educational system had given up on Daniel, and Vlad hated it. 

Sighing, he turns to look at the clock and frowns when he realizes it was nearing one in the morning. Casting one more glance at the paperwork, Vlad sighs as he reaches to tidy it before gradually getting up and heading to bed, knowing any chance of reading the papers would be lost on him again.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{

Sometime around 3am back at the Master mansion, Cujo finally woke from his rest, clambering down the bed to go find Danny. 

Which he could not find. 

Frantically, he began to sniff through the mansion, realizing that Danny was not in the mansion at all, and he went to find Vlad. 

Entering the master bedroom through the open door (mainly so Maddie could come and go as she pleases) he hopped on the bed then hopped on the sleeping halfa to wake him up. 

“Rrrrruuuufff! Rrruuf!” 

“Hmm?” Vlad blearily opens his eyes two hours later, squinting when Cujo starts to tug his sheets off the bed, barking and whining. “What’s wrong, Cujo?” He was quick to transform into Plasmius at the worried look on the dog's face, a sinking feeling in his chest when he realized what the dog was doing. 

The ghostly dog was worried about Daniel. 

It caused a wave of unease to go through him for the second time that day, his protective instincts flaring at full capacity. 

This dog had been attacked by some sort of violent ghost, and to know that he was worried about Daniel, who was strong on his own…

He didn’t stop to think about it, flying into the night with the ghost dog in search of the younger halfa, letting the pull of his core lead him. There was a distant pull from a chilly substance that practically urged him closer, getting stronger and stronger until he was floating over the tallest building in Amity Park, the sight of the halfa breaking his heart. 

Those dark circles had returned once more, along with a solemn look that tore him apart. 

What was going on with the younger halfa? How come he wasn’t getting any sleep? Ever since the ghost-

His mind started to connect some dangerous pieces, his anxiousness returning tenfold. 

Beside him, Cujo was growling at the vacant sky, running towards Daniel to offer his protection as he gave the ghost a big lick. 

“C-Cujo?” Phantom questioned in surprise when the ghost pup, who was not so little at the moment, floated beside him and gave him a wet lick. “What are you doing here, boy? You’re supposed to be resting.” He scolded, holding the large green mussel.

Before Vlad could move closer to make his appearance known, he felt a presence that made his breath hitch in surprise for a moment. 

  
For the tiniest of seconds, Vlad could have sworn that he felt two ice cores, both feeling like Daniels. The difference was one of them was pure chaos - nothing but a blizzard with hints of something sinister underneath. But as soon as he sensed it, it vanished.

Internally panicking was one thing, but with all the oddities that had been occurring, Vlad wasn’t about to let something happen. Quickly placing a protective dome around them, he flew closer, core pulsing out comfortingly. 

“Little badger…” Vlad offered another pulse, still feeling anxious. “There’s something out there.” He admits, moving closer. “Please…come back with me.” Vlad mumbled, protective instinct rising.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Phantom’s ghost sense then went off, and he turned in confusion, recognizing the signature and wondering why the older halfa was out at this time of night.

Sensing the protective barrier Plasmius erected caused Danny to go into battle mode, scrambling to quickly stand and strike a battle pose, knowing full well that Vlad would not have done that unless he had a damn good reason to. 

His core did not respond to the comforting warmth, still kinda shaken from the pain inflicted by the nightmare earlier that night and fearful of being burned once more, but the pulse had soothed the ice core a little. 

Danny looked around at Vlad’s warning, trying to expand his scanning and looking out at the quiet night for the threat, on high alert. 

But he couldn’t sense anything. Nothing that would signal some sort of danger that seemed to put Plasmius of all people so on edge. He looked down to Cujo who looked to be on alert, but not actively growling or looking to chase something. 

Danny relaxed his battle pose, too tired to be on high alert if there was no apparent danger at the moment, though Vlad’s anxiousness was surprising to the teen and still left him a little on edge. “Well, if there was something, it’s not here anymore.” He declared, proceeding to stretch his tired muscles. “Besides, I would have sensed something if anything were near, you know that.”

Vlad could feel it again-the slight weakness to the ice core that hadn’t been as bad only hours prior and a level of hesitance that made him ache. From being intimate with the ice core, it had given Vlad the ability to sense the emotions and power that emanated from within to an extent. Earlier he had allowed some energy to flow into the ice core in hopes of healing it as much as he could, but within the span of ten hours, it already felt as if something was purposefully burning the ice core. 

It did make him furious to know that someone was daring to harm Daniel, but his anxiety was outweighing his anger for now. One thing that bothered him to no end was the mystery it brought forth, and the fact that from what the evidence showed, Daniel had no idea what was going on. 

Danny finished his stretch, looking at the older halfa in confusion, tilting his head slightly. “What brings you here at this time of night?”

The teen hesitated for a moment, but allowed his core to send out a soothing pulse in Vlad’s direction. The cooled energy was very hesitant and only touched his core for the briefest of seconds, offering some comfort, then retreating almost as quickly as it had entered. “What’s wrong?” He asked in a more worried tone, feeling the older halfa’s anxiety coming off in waves.

A slight twinge of guilt builds up in Vlad’s chest at the way the younger halfa offers a few pulses of comfort, despite the fact that his core is…terrified. 

What is making the core so terrified? Of him, no less? It’s almost like it expects to-

Be burned. 

Taking a deep breath, Vlad moves closer to Daniel, protective feelings starting to replace his former anxiety. He needs to figure out something, and quick, in order to have Daniel come back with him, so he can be safe at the mansion.

But before he does all of that, he needs to be truthful.

“I’m not sure what’s going on, Daniel.” Vlad admits, needing the younger to understand that this was something outside of his knowledge. “But it’s my hypothesis that the cause of your lack of sleep is due to the ghost that attacked Cujo.” He bridges the gap between them, gently touching the younger’s arm. 

Danny looked down sadly, his shoulders sagging slightly as guilt hit him. Vlad was worrying over nothing. It wasn’t a random ghost who was causing his lack of sleep, it’s those stupid incessant nightmares he keeps having! Nightmares about his what were probably his deepest fears: rejection and hate from the man he internally sought recognition from.

And cared on levels he had yet to understand himself.

But he couldn’t find the courage to tell Vlad the truth. What would the man say if he said that he was having nightmares and was afraid of them like a little child? It was bad enough that he was only 18 and Vlad was over twice his age. The man most likely already saw him as immature and the last thing he wanted was for Vlad to see him as childish.

Especially with the turn their relationship had taken. Last thing anybody wanted was for their romantic partner (were they even romantic partners at this point?) to think they were childish. Especially with the age difference! Vlad might stop being interested in him!

Vlad continued, his hand moving to his chest “Your core has also been harmed, and only a ghost can do that.” He mumbled, sending another gentle pulse of energy to heal the ice.

Danny’s head snapped up, his neon eyes staring at the halfa with full attention. “What do you mean, my core has been harmed?” He asked in confusion.

Vlad grew even more concerned at Daniel’s innocent question, more puzzle pieces starting to come together in his fast-paced mind. From their meeting yesterday morning, the billionaire had felt something off about the younger halfa’s core that became more apparent the more intimate they became. It was unusual that it went unnoticed by Daniel for so long, considering the severity of the damage he had felt. 

Perhaps Daniel felt it, but was unsure what it was? Vlad could remember the first time his core had been hurt and he hadn’t immediately known what it was until he researched it. The other halfa had only been part-ghost for approximately four, going on five years. It possibly wasn’t enough time to figure out what an injured core felt like. 

“I wasn’t sure about it until now, but your core feels like it’s been burned by something.” Vlad admitted, a frown on his lips as he resisted the urge to run a hand through the white hair, fingers itching to touch the other. “I can feel the damage when my core touches yours.” He whispers gently, core offering another pulse of energy to heal the damage. 

Danny closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling the soothing warmth that touched his core. 

But why would his core be burnt? He had not fought a ghost in over a week, which had been the lunch lady, and that had been easy…

But Vlad was right, especially now that he thought about it. There might be something wrong with his core. 

For days now, Danny had been feeling this uncomfortable, tightness in his chest. Like that dull pain that is there for so long, that you kinda tune it out since it is not a sharp blaring pain. That pain that you don’t truly realize how much it bothers you until you do something to soothe it.

Like Vlad’s fire core was doing right now. Which felt soo good, relieving the tightness and soothing the dull pain in his chest, helping calm his anxious ice core.

“Only ghosts have the ability to harm cores, and that combined with your inability to get sleep…it leads me to believe something is messing with you.” Vlad confessed, a protective fire growing in his chest as he moved to gently tug Daniel closer to his chest that offered warmth. 

“I will protect you at all costs, Daniel.” Vlad whispers softly, offering another wave of comfort. “So please, come back with me.” He mumbled, rubbing his hip slowly.

Danny’s chest warmed, butterflies returning to his stomach as his heart throbbed with happiness.

How often had he ever heard those words directed at him, of all people?

Since becoming Phantom, all it ever involved was him saving others. Him protecting others. Always him taking the risks, being the strong one, standing tall. Always being the shield or the sword, the weapon or the barrier that defended others, always leaving himself vulnerable to whatever he fought against. 

He buried his face in that warm comfortable chest, eyes moistening as he felt the soothing heat waves envelop him, those strong arms curling him protectively. 

For once, he felt like he could let go. Be vulnerable for a change and let someone else be the defender for a while.

And that meant more to the teen than words could ever describe. 

He nodded, face still buried in that chest, raising his arms to return the embrace, ice core purring.

Vlad’s core gave a happy pulse when Daniel presses closer to him, burrowing his face into his chest, the billionaire gives a content sigh and closes his eyes for a moment. When Daniel was anywhere but his side, the older halfa could feel the effects of being separated. How could he offer the best protection when the other halfa wasn’t with him? With the strange occurrences happening around Daniel, Vlad didn’t feel comfortable leaving the halfa on his own, thoughts of more sleepless nights troubling him. 

A possessive part of him purrs when remembering how well Daniel slept when in the confines of his own mansion, and it purrs even more when the younger nods his head, agreeing to join him. Vlad sighs in relief and carefully kisses the top of the white hair, smiling more when his embrace was reciprocated. 

He sends another wave of energy and comfort, hand rubbing soothing circles on the small of his back as he wraps his cape around Daniel, teleporting all three of them back to his mansion, particularly his room.

Despite being in a safe location, Vlad kept Daniel caged against his chest, his cape shielding the other halfa from everything. 

“If I had my way, you would always be here with me.” Vlad whispers gently, allowing his possessive side to slip out. “Where you belong,” He mumbles, core pulsing with the raw emotion of comfort and love.

Danny shivered at the possessive words that caressed him like soft silk, entering to his very core. God, somehow Vlad always seemed to know what to say that made him melt so deliciously, both parts aroused and giddy. 

That deep baritone voice was going to be the death of him…

He tightened his hold as his cheeks tinted green, face buried in that bread chest as his core sent out a quick jolt of joy, before retreating once more. 

Knowing that it was still in the early hours of the morning, Vlad pulls away slightly, figuring some space would be needed. Looking into the tired eyes breaks his heart but he will be sure to fix that. He transforms back into his human side and smiles. 

“You need to sleep,” He mumbles, hating how exhausted Daniel looks. It was probably around three-thirty now, which meant sleep would be the best option for them. “You’re free to sleep with me, if you’d like.” Vlad wasn’t sure if the younger would want to do something domestic so soon, or if he needed space for a bit. He would give the option, regardless.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Danny transformed back to Fenton and visually hesitated when the older halfa mentioned sleep, but sagged his shoulders slightly. Vlad was right. He needed sleep desperately.

But the fear of the nightmares was strong…

The next sentence had the teen blushing profusely and shyly looking away from the elder’s gaze. 

Somehow, the thought of just sleeping with Vlad in the man’s bed seemed very intimate. Surprisingly more intimate than doing… the thing… had been.

Was he crazy to feel that way?

I mean, people have one night stands all the time and don’t sleep in the same bed. Though if he were completely honest, there was no way what had happened earlier that morning had been just sex.

It had felt wayyy too intimate for that. They had been way too vulnerable in that moment. 

And the way their cores felt…

Ah, but he digresses! The question here was if he was comfortable sleeping in the same bed as Vlad, and while it felt incredibly comforting to be in the elder’s arms, he just did not feel ready for that kind of intimacy. Not just yet. 

His blush deepened as he raised his gaze, hand coming behind his neck in a nervous gesture. “Hahaha, nah, it’s fine. I can sleep on my own.” Then he cleared his throat, still a little awkward from the offer. “W-Well then. Goodnight fruitloop.” And he turned to walk out of Vlad’s room.

Truthfully, Vlad wasn’t surprised when Daniel declined the offer to stay in the same bed, nor was he disappointed at the answer. It was more of a matter of wanting to make the other halfa as comfortable as he could be, which meant giving him an option. The act of merely sleeping together after their events in the following day was a line that shouldn’t be crossed so soon. Whatever relationship they had needed more time to develop. Of course, they had become intimate with each other fairly quickly, but that didn’t mean he wanted to rush things along. After all, Daniel was only eighteen years old and lacked experience with relationships in general, let alone one of this caliber. The younger halfa was out of his comfort zone, no doubt, so Vlad felt the need to keep things slow and steady. He didn’t want to make Daniel uncomfortable either. 

Before Danny had exited the bedroom, the boy hesitated at the door. Then turned his head to look over his shoulder. “And ummm…. Thanks.” He whispered sincerely before disappearing out of the master bedroom, little Cujo following close behind.

“There’s no need to thank me, little badger.” Vlad hummed in response, offering a small smile. “Sleep well,” He added, feeling himself sigh in relief once Daniel was gone, thankful that the other halfa was now safe in his domain. 

With Daniel here, Vlad felt like he could genuinely get some rest and work on things, but that would come later on in the morning. For now, he planned on getting a few more hours of sleep. A soft chuckle leaves his lips as Maddie comes in, mewling happily when she sees him. The feline eagerly jumps on the bed and onto Vlad’s chest, curling in a ball as she makes herself comfortable. 

Large hands carefully stroke the soft fur, earning a deep rumble that lulls Vlad to sleep within a few minutes.


	17. Morning Breakfast

The quick release of the second chapter right after the previous chapter is dedicated to my darling Lighzfire. Not only does she motivate me, but her kindness towards me and others warms my heart dearly. You are a wonderful person, with all your encouragement and art gifts to cheer us up. I appreciate you soo much! <3  
  
  


.......................................................................  
  
  


It was around six-forty when Vlad woke up again, glancing at the cat who was peering at him with an expectant look. Smirking, he sighs. 

“Breakfast time?” He asked, earning a mewl in response. 

“Very well,” Vlad hums, gradually getting out of bed as he heads into the kitchen to fix his darling cat her food. Remembering that Daniel was here made the billionaire pause and start on another breakfast for his two other guests.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

*Rock-and-roll music in the background*

Danny wakes up groggy, one reluctant eye opening as the music from his phone alarm continues to sound, volume going up every few seconds.

He yawned as he pulled out his phone, silencing his alarm, and turned to lay face up on the bed, eyes half open as he stared at the ceiling. 

A soft smile touched his lips. He actually had a nice restful sleep.

There was just something about Vlad’s territory that made him feel at ease. Apparently even to the point of chasing away his dreadful nightmares. 

If only he could stay here forever.

The thought has him blushing a deep red, and he covers his face with his forearm in embarrassment. 

*Rock-and-roll music starts up again*

Danny sighs, and turns off his back-up alarm, his body and mind protesting at the prospect of waking up.

As much as he would love to continue resting and trying to make up even a bit more of the sleep he desperately needed, unfortunately he had to go to school today. He may have been able to get away with the excuse of being attacked by a ghost (thank you Vlad!), but he had no real excuse to miss school today. Now that the older halfa had gotten involved in all of this, he wanted to be careful as he could with his mother’s suspicions.

He reluctantly got up off of the bed, giving a much needed stretch.

“Rrrufff!” 

He turned to see the smiling, panting face of his little ghost pup, and couldn’t help but smile brightly.

He had always wanted a dog, and while Cujo was his dog, he could not keep him at his home for very obvious reasons. 

It had always been his dream to have a dog sleep in his room and live in the house, but alas, his parents never let him have any pets. 

And how nice this was, waking up to see his darling Cujo, greeting him excitedly first thing in the morning. 

“Hey boy!” He greeted back just as happily, patting the bed then holding up his arms.

“Rufff! Ruff!” Cujo barked joyously, jumping on the bed and into the teen’s arms, body shaking from the excitement and wispy tail wagging non-stop.

“Hahaha! Good morning to you too!” He jugged the pup close, though careful not to aggravate any of the pup’s injuries from before.

After greeting and inspecting his pup, he lowered Cujo, then made his way to the dresser in the room to see what clothes were there because of course he did not bring any. And knowing the older halfa, there was sure to be clothes of his size. 

He smirked as he opened the drawer. He knew Vlad all too well.

Although, as he searched through the clothes selection, maybe not as well as he had thought.

There were clothes in the drawer other than fancy button downs! Actually having some of what Danny would consider day-to-day clothing!

Even if the material did feel expensive.

He was tempted to grab a v-neck shirt, just to show off the marks on his neck to the older halfa. But, he also had to consider that he had to get to school on time, and he certainly did not want for those marks to be seen by others. What the hell would he say?

That he got bit by a wild animal?

Though, that had been quite the wild morning…

Shaking those thoughts from his head before his blood decided to rush elsewhere, he chose the most appropriate clothing that would hide the marks, which consisted of a tight long-sleeved black turtleneck shirt and tight dark blue jeans, and went to take a quick shower. His core sending a quick, happy pulse towards its counterpart.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Knowing how much Daniel and Cujo had enjoyed the breakfast meatballs, Vlad started on those after he sautéed some fresh Salmon for the feline. He was careful what he fed her, knowing well what she could and couldn’t eat. After he sliced the salmon and placed it into her bowl, he felt a sense of satisfaction as his cat eagerly consumed the contents, purring softly to indicate her approval. It was a nice feeling, to know that his cooking skills were enjoyed this much. His core always fluttered with pride (and egotism) when Daniel expressed deep contentment when eating his food. It caused his core to flutter, all other praises meaning nothing to him. 

Now that Cujo is faring better, Vlad decides to make the meatballs slightly spicier than the last time, figuring that the dog would enjoy them that way more. A small smile danced on his lips when thinking back to the way Daniel lit up as soon as he tasted the food. 

While the meatballs are baking in the oven, the billionaire rolls his sleeves back further so he can get started on his and Daniel’s breakfast. He’s not sure what to make at first, but settles on one of his favorite omelette recipes, with a serving of pan-fried tomatoes on the side, as well as something his mother would occasionally bake in the morning. 

Vareniki had been one of his favorite sides growing up. His mother had loved fresh fruits and was always trying to find a way for him to eat them as a child. She succeeded with a Vareniki, which was a dumpling filled with fresh fruits. He had loved it, and by proxy, she had ensured that he was getting the perfect amount of fruit into his diet as a kid. 

He starts on the traditional Russian side, so focused on getting everything perfect that he almost doesn’t feel the happy pulse from the ice core. He smiles a bit to himself, sending his own pulse of comfort, core purring at the knowledge that Daniel was close by.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After the shower, Danny made his way down the stairs, following the elder’s signature which led him towards the direction of the kitchen, his core giving a few happy pulses towards the billionaire, though still retreating in slight warryiness.

“Mmmmm…” The scent in the air, encouraged him to walk a little faster, heart fluttering joyously at the thought of soon tasting Vlad’s cooking first thing in the morning.

There was something very nice and heartwarming to that thought.

The teen stood at the doorway of the kitchen, slightly leaning one hand on the doorframe, just watching the older halfa cook with a soft expression.

As Vlad continued cooking, he failed to notice the shift in the atmosphere when Daniel entered the kitchen, only pausing when he felt eyes on him after a few minutes. Vlad’s core sends another pulse on its own accord and the billionaire gingerly turns to face the teenager. 

It takes all of Vlad’s self-control to not flush at the look on Daniel’s face, core fluttering at the gentle look beneath those beautiful blue eyes. God, he could get lost in those all day…

“Are you hungry?” Vlad asked, turning away to finish up what he was cooking. “It should be done in about five to ten minutes.” He started, flipping the omelette with the spatula. The fact that he was cooking for Daniel caused a soft smile to linger on his lips, realizing how domestic it was. 

Of course, he would be doing this regardless, but it was a nice feeling. 

Danny smiled, walking into the kitchen. “Breakfast would be nice actually.” He paused, crouching down and petting Maddie, smiling when he heard the purring getting a little bit louder, the white kitty still nose deep in her salmon bowl.

Rising, he then moved beside the older halfa to grab some plates, cups, and utensils, finding he liked helping Vlad cook. Which was especially weird since Danny detested anything to do with chores at home. He especially avoided the kitchen so his mom wouldn’t rope him into helping, which he hated.

But here it was different. 

Here It kinda felt natural to stand here, helping the older halfa cook or set the table. There was a comfortable companionship that he couldn’t quite describe, and it filled him with contentment.

“I made the meatballs spicier today for Cujo. You mentioned he preferred them to be that way.” Vlad hummed, pulling the meatballs out once the oven timer went off.

“Hahaha! If you make the meatballs any more spicy, I’m afraid Cujo will never leave your mansion.” He joked with a bright smile, secretly happy that Vlad had not forgotten to make food for his darling pup as well. 

Vlad felt his smile widen just the slightest at the joke, unable to stop himself from enjoying the idea of having both Cujo and Daniel here with him. From what he remembered, the other halfa had mentioned that his parents wouldn’t let him have a dog, let alone, a ghostly one. It must have been a relief for Daniel to be able to see Cujo here, instead of worrying about wherever the pup was. 

His adorable feline meant the world to him and he couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like without her presence. Hopefully, he could provide a sort of safe place for the other halfa in his mansion, one that offered a mental break, as well as physical safety. 

Danny looked towards the stove curiously, his stomach very much dying to try whatever that was. “What are you cooking this time?”

Before Vlad’s thoughts could dive into the mysterious ghost that was after Daniel, the teenager spoke up, effectively taking his mind off what would have soured his good mood. Glancing to what the other was referring to, Vlad smirked and hummed. 

“It’s called a Vareniki.” Vlad spoke, a nostalgic smile forming on his lips, thinking of the mornings with this particular dish. “It’s essentially a dumpling filled with cream cheese and fresh fruits.” He explained, figuring that was the one Daniel was most curious about. “The other dish is pan-fried, with tomatoes to go with the omelette.” He hums, placing those to the side once they were done. 

*Vareniki* Danny shivered at the name of the dish. Just listening to Vlad pronounce that word in Russian using his devilishly deep baritone voice sent a pleasant shiver up Danny’s spine, and heat pooled a little downstairs at the sexy tone.

He tampered down that feeling though, focusing on the nostalgic look of the older halfa that made him smile as well, knowing that Vlad was sharing another dish that was important to the older halfa, and the fact that the man was sharing it with him so readily, made his heart warm and his core spark with joy and send a cooled pulse. 

There was something else he realized from the two breakfasts they shared, and he couldn't help but smirk at the older halfa. “Chocolate chip pancakes, the, uh, Vra-nikie thing” He stumbled with a slight wince at what he was sure was a badgering of the word, but continued speaking. “Who knew that Vlad Masters had such a sweet tooth~” He teased. 

Vlad chuckles softly at the teasing tone, core pulsing happily against the other halfa’s. There was no use in denying that yes, he did indeed have a sweet tooth and he probably had his mother to thank for that. Even at his age now, there was nothing that could compare to the way she would cook and while he had nailed it a few times, it was always missing something that only she could provide. 

“You shouldn’t be so surprised,” Vlad joked back, a small smirk on his lips as he glanced at Daniel. “I’ve always enjoyed sweet things,” He purred, before moving his attention elsewhere and cleaning up the mess he had created, missing the younger halfa’s reaction. It was nice to tease him though, especially now that the other knew of his attraction. 

There was also the fact that Daniel looked wonderful whenever he flushed a delicious shade of red, but he doesn’t allow himself to go down that path, deciding to at least attempt to keep his thoughts pure for the most part. The other morning had been wonderful, but Vlad finds himself wanting to enjoy a nice breakfast with the younger. 

Until now, Vlad had never really given domesticity much thought outside of when he obsessed over Maddie, but now, he realizes how wonderful a thing it truly is. Seeing Daniel in this light makes him wonder how he had ever believed himself to have feelings for Madeline. When the other halfa was by his side, something clicked in his mind and core. It felt right. 

Danny blushed at the tease, choosing to focus instead on the delicious meals being plated. 

He leaned discretely when Vlad was not looking, and snuck a meatball from Cujo’s bowl, quickly popping the ball in his mouth. 

The delicious flavors danced on his tongue, and he took his time to covertly chew. All was well until he really hit the spicy spots and the spice seemed to go up. 

Danny suddenly coughed, dashing and quickly downing water from the nearest cup of water, panting as his eyes watered.

Okay… maybe that hadn’t been such a good idea…

Danny was not really someone who usually had spicy foods, and he had not expected them to be that spicy.

He wheezed a little, a tear on the corner of his eyes. “Hahaha, yep… Cujo’s gonna love it! Hahaha.” Knowing that at this point, his sneakiness had been discovered.

The sound of coughing quickly brought him back to reality and he glanced right when Daniel chugged a glass of water, a small smirk playing at his lips. “Good to know. I wasn’t sure how spicy he would want them.” 

Danny chuckled, a bit embarrassed, but straightened, giving one last caught to clear his throat. He helped bring the silverware, plates, and food to the table. 

Before sitting, he grabbed Cujo’s bowl, setting it next to Vlad and grabbing one of the meatballs. “Here.” He then handed it to the older halfa.

Vlad paused when Daniel handed him a meatball. He blinks and furrows his brows, wondering what to do with it. “Is there a reason you handed me a meatball?” Vlad teased, letting his finger slowly brush against the teenager’s hand, keeping it there even when he accepts the food.

Danny flushed a little at the lingering touch, his heart fluttering and his core sending a happy pulse toward the older halfa. 

He smiled at Vlad, turning to stand beside, but slightly behind him and face the same way, smiling at the look of confusion on the billionaire's face. He floated a little, just so his face was flush against Vlad’s cheek, both hands on the man’s shoulders, core wrapping around the older halfa as he nodded forward.

“Rrrrrruufff!!” 

Cujo was standing on hind legs, purple tongue hanging out, and black ears standing at attention, his tiny red eyes locked on to the meatball in the older halfa’s hand. 

Danny then slid one of his hands down Vlad’s arm smoothly, until it reached the hand that held the meatball. Holding the hand in his own, he guided Vlad’s arm to bend slightly. “At the very least, the first meatball needs to be thrown. It’s a steadfast rule.” He whispered in Vlad’s ear, his cooled core pulsing teasingly.

Cujo had gone deadly silent, jaw closed, still on his hindlegs, still as a statue as he stared down the piece of meat, body tensing in anticipation. 

Danny slid his hand back up Vlad’s arm to rest it on the shoulder again. “Go ahead.” He encouraged in a low voice.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad felt his core flair slightly as a teasing sensation of the cooled core sliding over him, leaving goosebumps in their wake. The air that was puffing against his ear nearly made him growl and turn around to claim those flirting lips with his own, feeling the need to taste the other halfa again. Instead, he allowed his arm to be bent as his core gently wrapped around the ice one, curling around it slightly. 

Damn, what that voice could do to him. If it weren’t for his iron-like restraint, Vlad would have shuddered again from the voice Daniel had used. Still, he has a ghostly dog that was waiting on him to throw the meatball, and he wasn’t about to make the poor thing wait any longer. 

Carefully, he throws the ball for the excited pup, who immediately jumps up to grab it, his tail wagging excitedly as he eagerly eats it. His tail was wagging to the point the dog was almost shaking, eyes wide with happiness. 

Vlad allows himself to smile at the scene in front of him but with the way Daniel is glued to his side, he decides to do some gentle teasing of his own. 

“Dostatochno khorosho?” Vlad breathed into Daniel’s ear, his lips almost brushing the shell as he purposefully spoke slowly and deeply, purring the words lowly.

Danny’s body trembled slightly, jaw shut tight as a gasp threatened to leave his lips as the words slid off his skin, that baritone voice vibrating all the way down to his core and fffuuuck… what that damned voice did to him...

Especially in that language he was sure was created just to fuck with him.

Very much embarrassed by his obvious reaction, his face turned almost beet red. He crossed his arms in annoyance. He was supposed to be the one teasing the older halfa, not the other way around! 

He looked to the side, eyes avoiding the older halfa while the teen pouted. “H-Hey no fair! I can’t understand a thing you said...”  
  
Oh, Vlad very much enjoyed that wonderful reaction that Daniel provided, a small smile forming as he hummed softly, not bothering to move away from the younger. The billionaire knew that he shouldn’t get distracted, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care. 

“All you have to do is ask, and I’ll translate.” Vlad hummed softly while letting a hand trail down Daniel’s back, stopping to carefully tug him closer so he could offer a wave of warmth from his core that pulsed against the other. 

Danny shivered. Yep, his blood is rushing all the way down to his dick.

Gah! How the hell had Vlad been able to flip the tables so easily? Now he’s a friggin hot mess, core literally purring in delight from the attention and very much melting in Vlad’s arms. He can feel his hard on straining against his tight jeans and he had to use every ounce of will not to start to hump the older halfa’s leg!

Damnit!

His ice core was whirling in his chest, fighting to get out. He bit his bottom lip, holding back the growl that threatened to leave his lips, the urge to tackle the older halfa to the ground, pin the sexy bastard, and attack his lips until Vlad couldn’t breathe was sooo hard to reign in.

Vlad’s free hand lifts to rest on Daniel’s jaw, fingers dipping beneath the material of the form-fitting black turtleneck, fingertips carefully tracing along the numerous possessive marks that he left earlier. Carefully, he tugged it down so it was on full display for him, core purring in delight at the sight. 

“tak prekrasno~” Vlad purrs again, voice deep and husky as he lays a gentle kiss to the mark.

Ooohh… What ever that was sounded so delightfully sinful and sexy, and the kiss on his neck made his body shiver and Danny was soo fucking close to his breaking point.

There was no way that delicious erection escaped Vlad's notice and he happily slid his thigh in between Daniel’s legs, pressing him against the wall as he places another kiss to the marked neck. His nail carefully scrapes against one of the lighter marks, circling around it slowly as he teases it. 

Vlad can practically taste the need that was rolling off the other halfa in waves, his own core shuddering with its own need that is flaring the longer they stay like this. He can’t bring himself to pull away from the temptation that was Daniel, and places another kiss to the neck-

*Rock music in the background starts up*

Danny nearly cried. Be it from relief of frustration, he hadn’t a clue.

“M-My, uh, alarm… for getting to school on t-time…” He said in a rough husky breathless voice, core pulsing with need and a deep flush on his cheeks.

Vlad had stopped when an alarm goes off that signals they should end this. But instead of pulling away, he lingers against the neck that was begging to be marked all over again, core pulsing with need as well, wrapping around Daniel’s. 

From the look and feel of it, Vlad doubts Daniel wants him to stop anytime soon. He carefully leans to purr deeply into the teens flushed ear, words filled with desire. 

“ty dolzhen ostat'sya~” Vlad’s voice was deeper than ever as he spoke those words, turning to capture Daniel’s lips in a heated kiss that holds the promise of more. Giving a gentle tug to his bottom lip as he pulls away, Vlad hums. 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asked seriously, not making a move to reclaim his mouth again. “Because if not...” Vlad trailed off, leg pushing against Daniel’s erection.

Danny sucked in a breath, the pressure on his dick sending sharp pleasure that coursed through his body and set his ice core on fire.

Hell if he was going to let this stop.

He growled possessively, his ice core surging in power to some of his extra human strength to flip their positions, flipping Vlad and pressing his back to the wall, kissing him passionately. 

Giving a soft grunt in surprise, Vlad could feel the fire in his chest blaze with desire when Daniel pressed him against the wall instead, the possessive growl going straight towards his already erect cock. Not missing a beat, Vlad eagerly kissed back and let the younger halfa dominate the kiss, allowing himself to submit to the other for a moment. There was no one else but Daniel that could make him act like this, no one else that he would even consider giving up any semblance of power. This would only ever be for Daniel.

Feeling Vlad submit to him ignited a fire within that he did not know he even possessed, his dick twitching and his heart pounding wildly. His core vibrating joyously at the other’s sumnission, wrapping around the older halfa protectively and stimulating the hot fire core.

He gave another deep growl next to the other’s ear, licking the lobe, and ghosting soft breath. There was a deep sense of pride, of knowing that Vlad had given him this power over him. Power that he was sure no one had or ever would get from the indomitable Vlad Plasmius Masters.

It was a feeling beyond words.

His lips returned to those delicious lips, kissing fervorously as he pressed their bodies close. A hand moved to grasp the billionaire’s shirt, turning it intangible and tossing it aside. Now with that gorgeous torso exposed, the teen caressed the firm muscles of that delicious chest, breaking the kiss to now kiss and nibble at the older halfa’s neck.

He looked for that same sensitive spot from last time, making sure to pay extra attention there, wanting to hear sounds from the older halfa, as the man had made him make such lewd noises last time it was only fair that it was his turn.

Danny’s possessive side was certainly coming out, and that neck looked too untouched for his liking. This time, it was his turn to leave beautiful marks on that smooth neck. 

And he bit a little, not too hard, as they were in their human form, but just enough to leave a slight red mark. 

A promise for more to come when they were in ghost form. 

Vlad sucked in a breath at the feeling of slightly chilled hands running along his exposed chest, a deep shudder leaving him as he bites his lips to hold back the embarrassing sound that threatens to escape. Of course, Daniel would find the spot again, but he hums and closes his eyes and tilts his head, giving more room to the other halfa. His hand sliding into the dark hair, gripping the soft locks gently as a soft groan leaves his lips when Daniel does find the spot again, attacking it eagerly. 

This possessive side to the younger halfa was making his own pulse out, core purring with pleasure. 

Knowing that Daniel was just as possessive of him made him groan in need and follow his lead, his other hand making the turtleneck turn intangible as he tossed it aside. 

His warm hands trail along the toned torso, stopping to tease at one of his nipples. 

“ty ideal'nyy” Vlad praises, tugging Daniel closer by his hips to brush their clothed erections together.

Danny shuddered as he felt warm hands travel deliciously over his body, and pressed even closer to the older halfa. His body twitched and he inhaled sharply as those fingers messed with his nipple core pulsing with pleasure. 

Groaning at the friction between their erections, and hearing those delicious Russian words, he bit the elder’s neck once again, wanting to add more marks that signified that the older halfa was his, and his alone.

He could tell Vlad was holding back from making any obscene noises. Could feel the slight twitches in that well-built body of the older halfa. Hear the sharp intake of breath that was on the cusp of a moan that the man would just not let through. 

He won’t have any of that.

A smirk graced his lips as a wonderful idea came to him. 

Continuing to nip and kiss the tanned skin, he worked his way down from that tempting neck, mouth dangerously close to one of the nipples, then stopped, looking up at the older halfa under his black bangs with an evil smirk, sky-blue eyes flashing neon green for a split second.

Then he attached his mouth to the nipple, sucking on it while at the same time his hand pinched the other one, other hand coming down to squeeze the elder’s clothed erection. His ice core giving a sharp wave of power to wrap all around the other halfa possessively.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad must have died and gone to heaven, because all the pleasure that surrounds him makes his head swim with desire. His body shivers deeply when those sinful lips trail downwards and tease his sensitive neck, only to do something else that makes him jolt with arousal. 

Good god, those eyes and that predatory smirk catch him off guard, his core tightly winding around the ice core that was wrapped around his own possessively. His breath catches lowly in his throat, face flushing with growing arousal that boils over. 

A startled, desperate groan flies past his lips uncensored, chest heaving slightly at the meticulous ministrations that have him writhing against the wall. His face flushes darker at the noises Daniel was drawing from him, but he makes no move to make it stop. 

Holy shit, this was not what he was expecting from the teenager, but he submits to it eagerly. 

That doesn’t mean he has completely given in, though. He wanted to hear those lovely sounds come from the younger halfa just as badly, so Vlad does something a little different. 

Instead of flipping their positions like last time, Vlad turns Daniel’s pants and boxers intangible, going to trail his fingers along his ass. He smirks a bit and tugs him closer, finger brushing the entrance slightly. His core offers its own wave of possession as he gives a gentle, but firm squeeze. 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Oh fuck. Hearing those delightful sounds coming from the elder was even more incredibly gratifying and intensely arousing than he ever could have fantasized or imagined in his wildest dreams. 

He wants to pull more wonderful noises from the older halfa.

“Aaaahh.” Before he could make another move, his ministrations falter as he feels an intense pleasure shoot up from his spine, quickly biting his lip to stop the sudden noise that came out at the unexpected feeling Vlad touching a very sensitive area that made his body shiver, and legs tremble. His core shooting out a sharp wave of need.

It takes all of Vlad’s self-restraint to not reverse their positions and desperately grind into the younger halfa, to draw out any sound from Daniel’s kiss-swollen lips. His fingers itch to slide against the sensitive skin, to press forward and deeper into something that they won’t be able to go back from. The sound that the younger halfa makes when he dares to tease the entrance makes his cock twitch with need, desire coursing through every vein in his body, his blood like molten lava that pushes him forward to seek out more. 

Oh, he’s imagined pushing into Daniel too many times in the past week, often dreaming about having the other underneath him, legs wrapped around his waist as he gently thrust into him. 

“Moya~” Vlad manages to rasp out in a deep and husky tone, his other hand gently tugging at the black hair so he can look into those wonderful eyes and nip at his ear playfully as his finger brushes against the entrance again, teasing him more.

The young halfa lets Vlad move his head how he pleases, the pressure of the tug on his scalp sending delightful tingles. Feeling stimulated from both sides at the same time, Danny’s mind is slightly dazed, and goosebumps raise on his porcelain skin as Vlad whispers in his ear so deliciously, the single word feeling very possessive, and his core pulsed with even more arousal.

He threads his hand into the silky silver strands, moving the elder’s head to deliver a demandingly needy kiss, pressing even closer as his other hand turns the billionaires pants and boxers intangible, angling himself just right so their erections grazed and rubbed together.

Fuck, Vlad really knew how to drive him wild.

A desperate groan leaves Vlad’s mouth when his lips are claimed in a kiss that is dripping with pure need, his core purring in delight. His tongue eagerly slips past Daniel’s lips as he gently teases Daniel’s with his own, taking his time in exploring the sweet mouth. As the other halfa aligns their erections, Vlad let his finger slowly circle the entrance again, lingering but not daring to press forward. 

If only Daniel knew what he did to him. 

Growling, Vlad teleports them to his bed and pushes him into it, not bothering to break the kiss as his hands slide down to carefully spread Daniel’s legs. He slowly grinds against the other, hand reaching down to give a light squeeze to Daniel’s ass, lifting him up by the hips to angle their thrusts. 

Damn. 

Vlad wanted nothing more than to lay claim to Daniel right here and now, his core sending a pulse of desperate desire that made him flush. 

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Danny’s core spikes, body vibrating from that possessive growl from the older halfa. He hummed through their kiss as he felt Vlad’s power encircle them, air rushing around them followed by his back hitting something soft. He eagerly opens his legs for Vlad, moaning through their kiss as he feels the possessive squeeze combined with the angle that offered more delicious friction. 

His skin was lined with perspiration, his body moving in sync with the man above him as pleasure sang through his body, loving the feel of Vlad’s hand on his ass as their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

Vlad pulled away from the kiss to press his forehead against the younger’s flushed shoulder. 

“I’m having a hard time stopping myself from fucking you into the mattress, Daniel.” Vlad admitted, voice deep with need, feeling the urge to warn the younger halfa of how close he was to losing his restraint.

Danny panted heavily as Vlad broke the kiss, his breath hitching and his core singing from the admission.

Fffuuuck… His arousal spiked hearing how much he drove the older halfa wild. His core caressing Vlad’s fire core trying to push the man over the edge. 

But, along with the intense flare of need, there was also anxiety, and his body slightly tensed.

He had seen the man’s erection. Felt it in his hand and fuck that thing was not small…

Was he ready for something like this?

There was no going back if they did this. Sure, he had fantasized about it, masturbated to the idea. But to actually do it? To go that far? It was both scary and exhilarating.

His body was hot, and he wanted the older halfa to mark him so badly. To claim his body. To fully belong to Vlad. His core sending wave after wave of need, wanting to feel the fire inside. Wanting to be claimed by its counterpart. 

Mere biting was not enough. He wanted the man inside of him.

His heart pounded wildly, his body slightly trembled as he moved his hand to guide the older halfa’s head further to the side, his lips right by Vlad’s ear.

“Claim me.” He whispered.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

If Vlad thought that by admitting his to losing his restraint would help it, he would have been dead wrong. After uttering those words, that tantalizing ice core starts to wrap around his own and caress it with needy strokes, his core answering the need with its own deep pulse. He has to clutch at the sheets in order to stop himself from sliding down the other halfa’s ass, the need to do more growing as each passing second. 

Still, the billionaire holds himself at bay with the knowledge that the other halfa was new to this, and that he would obviously be anxious. 

But the need to claim him and be inside keeps growing more and more, core pulsing with need again, though he tries to dampen how strong it comes out. He can feel Daniel tense after the admission, but fuck, he can also feel the desire that increases tenfold. 

It wasn’t like him to lose control so easily, but with Daniel underneath his body and his legs spread for him, Vlad feels his cock twitch with need. 

Of course, he is expecting a no for an answer and that’s okay. Whenever Daniel is comfortable-

*Claim me.* Is breathed into his ear, a sharp jolt of arousal going to his core as his fingers dig further into his sheets, knuckles becoming white from the strain. His body is burning with need, face flushed as he shudders. 

“Daniel,” Vlad rasps out, pressing closer to the point there isn’t a single inch of space between them, kissing and marking at his neck. “Are you sure?” He breathes, pulling away to look into those blue eyes, needing to know if this was something he truly wanted. 

He could easily push his needs aside if need be. Vlad wanted to make sure Daniel wanted this just as much.

Danny shivers at the way Vlad says his name, and keens and the gentle kisses and bite to his neck. Looking directly back at the lust-filled, yet concerned ocean-sapphire gaze of the older halfa when the man asked the question. His own face was flushed red, sky-blue eyes reflecting arousal laced with nervousness.

His heart fluttered, and his core sent a happy jolt, very much grateful for the question, feeling a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest that Vlad, even deep in his lustful desire, was looking out for his well-being.

That fact only increased his love for the man.

Vlad’s core fluttered at the happy jolt that struck his own, enveloping him with a pleasant emotion that made him tingle. He could feel how the jolt was laced with gratitude and nervousness, his own core sending a soft pulse of its own. It was normal to be nervous but knowing that the younger halfa was experiencing it made the billionaire want to soothe him, to be as gentle as he could and offer comfort. His warm pulse wraps around the ice core like a protective veil, twining softly together as it strokes along the other core. 

His breath almost catches in his throat when another emotion makes itself known, and for a split second, Vlad felt himself forget how to breathe. His heart stuttered and raced, warmth flowing through his core. He closes his eyes for a brief second, focusing on the emotion that has caused his core to burn brighter. 

Love. 

At that moment, Vlad could feel the love in Daniel’s core against his own and it left him breathless, his heart swelling with emotion. His core shudders with delight and pulses around the ice core, answering the emotion with his own. Lips gently trail along the column of the marked neck, core sending pulses of love as he takes the time to kiss the skin, hoping that the younger halfa knew how much he was loved in return. 

While he was filled with desire and a need that made his body burn, the love that he felt between them was infinitely more important to him. The feeling of love that passed through them caused Vlad’s core to purr more, lips slowly taking advantage of the pale skin as Daniel considered his question.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The corresponding feelings to Danny’s ice core were so intense, and so incredibly delightful. He could literally feel the love from the older halfa, and it was beyond beautiful. Almost surreal that someone could actually care that deeply for him.

His arms tightened their hold, hugging Vlad tightly as his core and heart both purred in delight at the love.

And yet, the serious question of the older halfa had shook the teen a little out of this lust and from the pressure of his core to go through with it, and he really pondered the question. Was he sure?

A part of him was genuinely scared. How the hell is something like that not going to hurt? From what he had started looking up, it was going to hurt in the beginning, but it was supposed to feel real good after. How? It’s still a hard concept to wrap his head around. 

And there was the other point that this felt like a line that was on another level than what they had already shared. It had not even been two weeks since they had made the truce, let alone only about a day since they really became intimate. 

And yet,

With Vlad, everything was always different than the norm. He had, in someway or another, felt a connection to the man, which only grew as time went on. All the fights they had? All the time they spent together? He felt he knew the older halfa on another level than anyone else. Felt in-tune to the man. Knew the good the bad, the whole man that was Vlad Masters and he wanted to be as close to the older halfa as he could.

To fully connect with Vlad on all levels.

He was still slightly afraid, yes, but he really did want to take the plunge and do this with Vlad. He trusted the older halfa to be gentle with him, which was something he was sure he was going to appreciate, cause fuck.

He looked determinedly into those dark blue eyes. He nodded in approval, honestly not trusting his voice not to crack under the anxious nerves from knowing what was soon to happen.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

As Danny contemplated his answer, Vlad still wanted to claim the younger halfa, but he was more than content to spend the rest of the morning like this, to take Daniel apart with his mouth and tongue over and over-

Stopping his gentle kissing when Daniel turned to meet his eyes, his forgotten arousal twitched immediately at the determined nod, core blazing back. 

Swallowing hard, Vlad placed a gentle, but chaste kiss to the teenager's lips as he smiled at him. 

“I’ll take care of you, Daniel,” Vlad whispered into his ear slowly, kissing the shell gently while running a hand up and down the younger halfa’s thigh. “I’ll make you feel so good.” He purred, using his powers to summon something from his bedside drawer. 

The soft, gentle kiss had Danny melting, and his body shuddered at the promise. Heart swelling with happiness as his arousal climbed with the sensual stroke to his thigh. Core purring in delight.

“But most importantly,” Vlad mumbled, kissing at his neck again. “I want you to tell me if you want me to stop, okay?” If Daniel wasn’t feeling comfortable, then he needed to know. 

As he continues to kiss that pale neck, his fingers pop open a bottle and slick themselves with the substance before one begins to circle and tease the younger’s halfa’s entrance, daring to slide against it slowly.

Danny’s body trembled at the feel of the now slick finger, the stimulation of the sensitive area along with the cool moisture sending jolts of pleasure up his spine. He nodded, indicating that he would let the older halfa know if he wanted this to end. Though he was very determined, and was mentally bracing himself for the upcoming pain. Logically, he knew that he had dealt with a lot of pain in his life. This should be able to deal with this just fine.

Then why won’t these nervous butterflies leave him alone?

Danny swallowed as he felt the finger slowly start to enter. His heart pounding at the feeling of being breached for the first time. He was very grateful for the fire core’s warm embrace, helping to calm his nerves a bit.

It was an odd feeling. Not pleasant but not unpleasant either. Just a strange feeling of something foreign entering somewhere that was not used to the intrusion. 

Taking a deep breath, he worked on relaxing his body as best as he could, as he heard that was actually supposed to help. At the same time, his hand rose to Vlad’s beautiful silver hair, grasping at the ponytail, and pulling the strands free, watching as the hair unfurled and framed that strong handsome face, pairing exquisitely with those sapphire eyes.

God, Vlad was soo handsome, it took his breath away.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

As a slick finger breeches the entrance, Vlad stops to kiss at the teenager's neck in hopes of distracting him from the foreign intrusion, knowing it would be an unfamiliar sensation. Before he can even think to remind Daniel to relax for him, he feels a sense of pride as the younger halfa tries to relax his body automatically, as if he’s done research on this beforehand. The thought makes his core warm with desire, thinking of Daniel fantasizing about this as much as he has caused his core to purr deeply, lips mouthing at a spot on his sensitive collarbone. 

Right when he was about to reclaim those lips in another passionate kiss, a hand travels through his hair and undoes his ponytail, his long hair freed from the confines. He glances down at Daniel and feels his core give a pulse of need at the image beneath him, gut tightening in pleasure. 

Daniel looked at him as if he were some sort of God and his ego would have inflated at that, had it been anyone else. But when the younger halfa looks at him like that it causes his chest to swell with emotion, cheeks flushing darker under the adoring gaze. 

With a smile full of adoration, he leans down to press their lips together in a sweet, but passionate kiss, pouring all of his love into it. He distracts him with the deep kisses as his finger pressed further, being as gentle as he can while stretching the tight area. 

He does so carefully, making sure to ease his finger inside as he kisses him harder, hoping to take his mind off the uncomfortable stretch as he slowly fingers him. He gives a nip to the bottom lip, eyes flashing for a moment as he purrs into his ear, giving a small nip to the lobe. 

“You’re doing perfect, Daniel.” He praised softly, sucking another mark on his neck, his possessive nature coming back at full swing.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Danny’s heart flutters at the look he gets from the older halfa, and the kiss had him melting as his arms tightened their grip, holding Vlad close to him. He lost himself in the passion, pouring his own need and love into it as well, not paying much attention to the strange feeling as he focused solely on Vlad and the love they felt for each other, core wrapping around the protective heat that surrounded it, purring in contentment and excitement.

Oh, he soo loved how those wonderful deep blue eyes could just as easily shift to that beautiful dark red, his core giving a sharp pulse as his arousal climbed. 

And god, hearing the wonderful praise come from that deep baritone voice had his head swimming, his heart pounding with so much happiness it felt like he was floating. At the same time, his gut coiled with need, his core flaring, his dick twitched and fuuck, he felt so hot he could just melt. His body shivering as Vlad’s teased the markings on his neck.

Not wanting to be the only one in bliss, he trailed down one of his hands, stroking the tanned skin as it traveled down those striking contours of the man’s muscles. Slowly shifting from the back over to the lower chest, going down those gorgeous abs. Cooled fingers teased the soft silver hair on the man’s groin, then to travel lower and caress the long hard shaft.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Vlad enjoys the pulse of arousal that comes from Daniel’s wonderful core, his body burning with need as their cores tangle around each other, leaving him breathless as he sucks more possessive marks on Daniel’s neck. The billionaire knows his partner will have a hard time covering these and it only serves to make his inner self purr in delight, wanting everyone to know that Daniel was taken by him. The younger halfa belonged to someone else and no one else could take him away. No one else deserved the sweet teenager underneath him, no one else understood him as he did, and vice versa. Daniel was the only one to see everything about him, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

A pleased shudder travels down his spine as a chilled hand travels along his back, taking in every detail that it can, then doing the same to his torso. He sucks in a breath when deft fingers tease along his happy trail, stopping to tease at the end soft hairs there. Vlad lets out a soft groan when those fingers trail against his erection, another shudder leaving his body. 

Instead of letting more sounds out, Vlad decides to put his mouth to even better use and kisses Daniel again, slipping his tongue past those parted lips as he explores the younger halfa’s mouth slowly. The hand that isn’t fingering Daniel takes the other halfa’s free hand and intertwines their fingers, sending a pulse between them. 

As he kisses the other, Vlad adds another finger once he deems that the other can handle it, gently sliding them in and out, making sure to keep the movements slow. 

The kiss paired with the pulse between their joined hands leaves Danny keening, core singing. He eagerly returns the pulse with his own cold one, dancing with the warmth.

Danny slightly flinches and momentarily tenses with the next intruding digit, the strange feeling doubling in intensity. Still not to the point of pain, but uncomfortable once again, but at least he knows he will get used to it like the first finger. He continues kissing Vlad shortly after his momentary pause, grateful that the older halfa is taking it slow.

“Is it okay?” Vlad questions, wanting to make sure Daniel was comfortable as he soothes a new mark with his warm tongue.

Danny nods at the question, humming in appreciation as he feels that warm tongue slither against his skin. 

Vlad felt relief flood through him when Daniel nods at his question, having felt the younger tense when he added a second finger. This process will always involve some level of pain, especially when you're first starting out, but Vlad wants to minimize any of the pain that he can. The elder halfa wants to make the younger one squirm with need and beg for more, to press against him and let it all go. 

The teen turns his neck, lips hovering right next to the older halfa’s ear, and softly breathes cool air, followed by a gentle lick to the ear, and a nip to the lobe, slightly adjusting a little as he starts to get used to the odd feeling. 

Vlad’s mouth dries when a puff of cold breath washes over his flushed skin, a soft hum forming at the back of his throat. Vlad holds the other noises at bay, biting his lips at the tongue that teases the shell of his ear, shuddering at the gentle nip that makes him pulse with arousal. The pulse once more travels from his hand and to Daniel’s groaning softly. 

Danny’s hand that was rubbing Vlad’s erection shifted, and he suddenly grasped the shaft hard just as he angled his head to gently, but quickly, bite the older halfa’s neck, wanting to hear the man suddenly gasp without restraint.

The teen was torn between his lingering nervousness and his impatience that this was going far to slow. 

As Vlad started to press his fingers deeper, moving them at a slightly quicker pace, a breathless moan rumbles from his throat and past his parted lips. 

The bite to his neck makes him groan in pleasure, unintentionally pushing his fingers deeper into the loosening muscle as he shifts to get a better angle. He angles his head and captures Daniel’s lips in another deep kiss, devouring his mouth as he carefully fucks him with his fingers, enjoying any noise the younger lets out. 

Danny breathes a slight moan against the elder’s neck as Vlad moves his fingers deeper, now having gotten used to the two fingers, the pressure, friction, and fullness they provide as they move in him sending delightful tingles through his spine. And that paired with the older halfa’s lovely groan? Oh yeah, he was very aroused.

He kisses Vlad back, answering the deep passionate kiss with his own. The hand that had squeezed Vlad’s shaft began to pump faster and squeeze tighter, as his hips began to thrust against those fingers that were really starting to fire him up. 

Wow… it was actually starting to feel real fucking good!

Vlad moans into the kiss as Daniel presses back into him with the same amount of force, that hand tugging him faster and faster, pleasure shooting up his spine. Fuck, it was taking all of his strength to stop himself from thrusting into Daniel’s delightful hand, his core shuddering with need. He needs Daniel more than he’s needed anything else in this world, and while it should scare him, it feels right. It feels like it was something that was always meant to be, and Vlad loves all of it.

And when Daniel starts to press back into his fingers, Vlad feels another soft moan forming in the back of his throat. His cock twitches in desire, the sight reminding him of how badly he wants to push into that ring of muscle, to gently fuck the teenager and claim him as his. He shudders with need, watching every movement and listening to every sound. 

Eventually, he adds a final finger, gently pushing it forward as he kisses him harder.

Danny’s movements and kiss faltered on the third finger, the uncomfortable feeling returning with slight stinging pain. Definitely not used to being stretched that far. The hand that was pumping stopped its movement for a brief moment as the other hand squeezed their entwined hands.

Taking a deep breath through his nose, he resumes kissing Vlad, trying to relax his tense body as he kisses Vlad deeply, hand stroking the older halfa’s erection once more. 

When he felt the body below him falter and tense slightly, Vlad was careful to gently push in and out, his sapphire eyes full of slight concern as he watched Daniel. His core pulsed happily when the younger gave his hand a squeeze and he answered it with his own, sending a comforting pulse between their bodies. 

He debates on asking the younger if he needs to slow down, but he doesn’t get the opportunity to ask as he’s pulled into a deep kiss, the hand resuming the wonderful stroking. Vlad kisses back eagerly, purring into the kiss as he gives another pulse of comfort. 

Vlad starts to gently thrust his fingers again, taking care in stretching the muscle as he sets forth to find Daniel’s sensitive spot, wanting to make the other cry out in pleasure. His fingers press deeper, taking their time as he tries to turn Daniel into a moaning mess.

Danny core purrs in delight and his body relaxes once more as the kiss, hand, and warmth pushes away at his nervousness.

It was taking a little bit longer this time, to adjust to the third finger, but the pain had subsided. Would it really be possible for the oddness to subside with three finge-

“AhhhAahhh!”

He broke the kiss, body tensing, eyes snapping open. His back arched, breath hitching as his hole clamped down on those intrusive fingers and a sharp wave of intense pleasure flashed through his body and god he couldn’t breathe! His hand tightened on Vlad’s shaft and other hand squeezed the other tightly.

W-What was that!?

His face flushed a deep red, panting from the sudden overwhelming feeling. 

Fffuuuck… had… had that been what he had read about? The feeling was insane!

Vlad felt as if all the breath was sucked from him, heart beating wildly at Daniel’s reaction, his body flushing darkly as his cock twitches. The hand that squeezes his brings him out of his daze and Vlad purrs in desire, leaning down to kiss at his neck and jaw as he starts to thrust his fingers into him again, making sure to brush the spot slowly. 

Danny groans, unable to stop the low moans from coming out of his mouth, thrusting back eagerly as those fingers keep gently brushing that spot that makes his body sing and his core throb.

“You’re almost ready,’” Vlad mumbles against his ear, nipping the lobe as he teases it with his tongue, his hand sending another pulse, letting it linger between them as their warm and ice cores pulse against each other. 

His lithe body shudders from the whisper and nip to his ear. God it feels like his body is hypersensitive as he feels every touch, every inch of skin that grazes the older halfa as he bounces slightly trying to get those fingers to go deeper. 

It wasn’t enough. He wanted more. Fuck, he wanted Vlad to fuck him into the matress and let that delicious fire core consume his ice and he growled with need when his bottom lip was tugged, kissing back feverishly.

Vlad doesn’t hesitate to press his fingers deeper, groaning at all the lewd sounds Daniel lets out, the noises spurring him on to take it a step further, to fully sink into the other and make him his. Vlad kisses him gently, wanting to warn Daniel before he takes it a step further. 

His fingers are slowly thrusting in and out of the younger halfa, wanting to make sure the other was stretched enough. He nips on the bottom lip and tugs it, tongue slipping in to tease the other halfa’s as he fucks the younger with his fingers, only pulling his fingers out once he deems Daniel ready.

A whine escapes Danny’s kiss swollen lips, his porcelain skin tinted with a lovely red blush as his body trembles from the sudden loss, eagerly wishing those delightful digits would return bak inside cause he was wound up tight and felt like he will explode if Vlad didn’t put something in him quick!

“Oh god Vlad, just do it! I need you inside me, now!” He admitted breathlessly, his arousal at a fever pitch. 

And while a part of him winced and felt embarrassed from the humiliating admission filled with such intense need, most of him didn’t care cause he wanted fucked.

Now.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

God, Vlad could listen to Daniel make those wonderful sounds all day, each moan making his core purr in desire. He can drown in the sensual noises, lose himself to the cries of pleasure that are making his body twitch with barely restrained need. It feels like each noise that Daniel makes, Vlad is one more step closer to losing any self-control he might possess. The sight underneath his is almost enough for him to come undone, greedily taking in the way his lover pushed back onto his fingers with a need that took his breath away. 

And fuck, that whine Daniel lets out makes his cock give a hard twitch, the sound forever etched into his memory. He’s tempted to tease at the rim again, but it’s Daniel’s words that cause his core to give a deep and powerful pulse, need leaking off of his fire core as it rubs against the younger halfa. 

*I need you inside me, now!* That demand makes him let out a mix between a groan and a growl, body almost trembling with need. He can’t resist anymore, not when Daniel is begging to be fucked. 

And that almost makes him shudder again, the begging making him even more aroused and hard, if that was possible. 

He reaches over to open the bottle again, being sure to apply a fair amount of lube to his erection before positioning himself. The hand holding Daniel’s sends a wave of comfort, giving a gentle squeeze as he slowly pushes into the warm heat, groaning at the sensation. 

Danny lets out a long deep moan as Vlad enters him, his intense arousal still not quite enough to push away the sharp pain of his virgin hole being stretched so wide for the first time. His skin was covered in perspiration, his heart beating wildly as his body inevitably tensed with the intrusion.

Vlad doesn’t dare move once he has pushed in, his lips kisses along Daniel’s shoulder as he gives the teenager time to become accustomed to the stretch. 

Once Vlas was all the way in, Danny let out the breath he was holding in relief, beyond grateful that the older halfa was being patient and not moving too soon.

“Let me know when you’re ready,” Vlad whispers, sending a pulse of love between their joined hands.

A delightful shiver runs down Danny’s spine at the whispered words and his heart soars at the feeling of love he receives from their joined hands, sending back as much love back through their connection as he was able.

Hell, the only reason he would even do this was because he loved the man. And trusted him.

The teen squeezed Vlad’s hand back, soaking up all of the comforting warmth the older halfa would offer because it was very hard to relax and breathe during this odd and pained feeling. His other hand moving to hold on to the broad back tightly as he pressed his forehead lined with perspiration against Vlad’s, eyes squeezed shut.

When their foreheads pressed together, Vlad’s heart stutters for a split-second at the intimate gesture, a small smile gracing his lips as he closes his eyes too, taking in the moment. He angles his head to place a sweet kiss to Daniel’s forehead, lingering before he moves back into the previous position. 

The kiss on the forehead made Danny’s heart flutter, the intimate gesture seeming so sweet and making him feel cared for. Through the pain, he gave a soft smile moving his head to press their lips together in a sweet kiss. Slowly increasing how deep the kiss was as time went on. The hand caressing the older halfa’s back in a gentle soothing manner that also increased intensity as time passed.

The pain dulled down, his senses now focusing on the feeling of fullness of having Vlad inside of him, his core purring in pure delight of their union.

He could feel the slight twitches of the elder’s cock when his finger’s graced a particularly sensitive area on the man’s broad back, and being able to feel the halfa so closely, intimately inside of this, fueled his arousal once more. 

Vlad happily answered the gentle kiss with his own, shivering when the hand slides up and down his back, finding a particularly sensitive spot that makes him twitch again. He nearly growls when Daniel does it again, purposefully running his chilled hands against the spot over and over, his cock giving a few twitches every few moments. 

Danny started to intensify the kiss as the plain dulled down. His hand sliding down to Vlad’s chest and pinching one of the man’s niples, delighted at feeling the strong responding twitch inside of him as his core flared with need, urging the older halfa to start its claim.

As the kiss intensifies, Vlad doesn’t hesitate to kiss back with more passion, groaning deeply as a teasing finger decided to pinch his nipple, his cock giving another twitch, which was more prominent than the last few times. Feeling that core tempt him further made him release a soft growl, his core deeply purring against the icy core.

Breaking the kiss, Danny moved his face next to Vlad’s neck and gave a lick at one of the marks. His marks.

Mine.

The thought brought so much delight to his soul and core, and the need for the older halfa to fully claim him hit him tenfold.

He pressed his lips to Vlad’s ears and he whispered softly, knowing from the older halfa's previous reaction that this was going to drive the man wild. 

“Make me yours.”

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Desire flared again when Daniel liked his neck. Vlad can feel the possessiveness in Daniel’s core, and it makes his own pulse with it, happy to belong to the younger halfa. 

As he feels the need that rolls off the icy core, Vlad feels his body burn like a volcano when a cool breath breathes into his ear slowly, the words making his blood turn into molten lava.

Hearing Daniel utter those words causes a breathless whine that turns into a groan, his lips claiming the younger’s in a sinful kiss. He thrust slowly and gently at first, not wanting to cause the other pain. 

Danny kissed back with as much passion and desire, a sharp intake of breath and tenseness when the older halfa started to move.

Sure, he had been expecting it, but the sensations were a strange mixture of a little bit of pain, fullness, and some pleasure tied together and sending so many conflicting signals to his body and mind. 

But feeling Vlad’s naked body move against his own and towering over him, to hold the man in his arms, to feel the mans breath against his skin, feel the soft lips against his own, to sense warmth of that wonderful fire core wrapping around his cool one, to know that the older halfa was deep inside him

Was incredibly fucking arousing.

And that arousal was quickly pushing away the pain and odd sensations, adding fuel to the tingling pleasure that kept growing. 

“Mine,” Vlad purred, hooking Daniel’s legs around his waist as he continued a slow, but deep pace.

Danny’s body shuddered, and he tightened his hold on the older halfa, as those words seemed to mark his very soul. He moved a hand to hold the man’s cheek, making him look into his sky-blue eyes as they flashed neon green. Yes, he belonged to Vlad Masters

“Mine”

And Vlad Masters belonged to Danny Fenton.

He kept his gaze locked with the older halfa. His face was flushed red, his breath coming in faster, his body tingling, pleasure building and building and oh! This was starting to feel soo delicious!

His hips moved against Vlad, deepening the thrusts as he started grunting as pain and uncomfortability completely replaced with wonderful pleasurable sensations, his eyes starting to cloud over with lust and pleasure. 

Vlad felt his spine and core tingle with pleasure as those same words were spoken to him, his breath catching low in his throat when their eyes locked, his heart fluttering. His cheek flushed underneath the younger teens hand, his core singing in delight at the passionate claim, his lips moving to press a gentle kiss to the younger halfa’s palm. The claim on him had the same effect, his core wrapping around the icy one. 

“Yours.” Vlad breathed into his ear, kissing it and nipping along the lobe, purring softly. “Always will be yours.” He growled, looking back into the baby blue eyes and moaning at the image below him, gut tightening at the pleasure in Daniel’s eyes. 

Oh! What those words do to him!

Danny arches his back, his heart and core singing in delight hearing those wonderful words paired with their intimate connection. His arms tightened his hold on Vlad, his icy core dancing with the fire above him. His eyes moistened with the combination of the overwhelming emotion and pleasure being delivered to his body. To actually hear Vlad say he belonged to Danny. The promise that he always would was more than bliss. Was a feeling more than words can describe. 

Vlad was transfixed as he gazed at the wonderful young halfa below him. ‘He’s beautiful…’ Vlad thinks, unable to stop himself from thrusting deeper and moaning, never looking away from the baby-blue eyes. Angling his thrust, he reaches down to slowly stroke Daniel’s erection in time with his thrust, creating a steady rhythm. 

Being connected to Daniel on this level sends a jolt of pleasure through him, a soft groan passing through and his lips press into the marked neck, trailing along the flushed skin. Vlad pants softly as he rocks his hips into the other, sending his cock deeper and deeper, pleasure rolling through every inch of his skin. 

It wasn’t just physical pleasure that made his arousal spike, but the level of intimacy that they were sharing. It caused him to give another twitch of need as he thrust slightly harder, groaning into the other’s shoulder as wave after wave of pleasure knocked into him.

“Aaa-ohhh!” Danny arched once more as he felt the hand wrap around him so tightly, the combination between being fucked and pumped at the same time sent his reeling, his body keening in pleasure as his moans increased in strength, no longer able to hold back any of his sounds from overwhelming assault of pleasure coursing through his veins. 

Fuck. He never in a million years would have dreamed that it could be like this. 

His hands grasped at Vlad’s shoulders tightly, body rocking with every thrust. His breathing coming in faster and faster, his moans louder and more needy as his body kept tensing further and further, that familiar tightening in his gut signaling that he would not last much longer. 

Vlad could get drunk off of those tantalizing sounds Daniel makes, his cock giving a deep twitch as the younger halfa moans loudly with pleasure, no longer being able to contain his noises. He shudders gently tugs Daniel closer, holding the teenager closer to his chest as he rocks his hips faster, groaning into the flushed ear. Raw emotion bubbles into his core, threatening to spill out as he thrust faster, the hand around the leaking cock pumping quicker and quicker, wanting to hear all sorts of filthy sounds fly past Daniel’s swollen lips. 

His core sends a desperate pulse, his warmth wrapping around Daniel and clinging to the icy sensation tightly, never wanting to let go. His mouth works on teasing some older marks, leaving fresh ones as he pants against the skin, his own moans starting to echo throughout the room, not bothering to contain his pleasure. 

Danny was in euphoria. Joy trembling inside of him hearing Vlad make such sounds, hearing the man he loved completely lost in pleasure of his doing. His body tenses at the wonderful sounds, pleasure coursing through his veins.

Vlad’s eyes shut tightly as Daniel tenses around him, the sensation drawing out a broken moan that turns breathless, Vlad’s thrusts get more and more desperate. His groans get louder and huskier, warmth pooling in his gut as he holds on tighter, knowing he was closer than ever. 

“Fuck,” He moans, kissing at Daniel’s shoulders as he angles his thrust, hoping to find the spot that made the teenager scream in pleasure. “Daniel..” Vlad breathes out, biting at his neck gently. “So good..” He praises, shuddering. 

“Mine.” He growls, kissing him deeply as he thrusts and strokes faster, his skin flushed as he keeps angling his thrusts.

The sinful word crossing the man’s lips has Danny keening, a surge of arousal going straight to his dick and almost pushing him off of the edge. Hearing Vlad actually curse for the first time because he had been overwhelmed with blissful pleasure was divine. His core sending pulse after pulse of arousal and temptation. 

“V-Vlaaad!” He yelled loudly, eyes snapping open as the man inside him hit his sweet spot. His back arched, body trembling as he held onto the older halfa for dear life, nails scratching down the broad back, renewing his marks. Words of possession and praise flowing through him soo seductively.

Vlad is nearly sent over the edge when Daniel screams his name, his core giving a deep rumble at the fact that his lover was screaming his name. A groan is ripped from his lips when those nails scratch down his back and over pre-existing marks that make him give a deep body shudder, arching into the touch slightly. He doesn’t hesitate to keep thrusting against that spot as he moans against the younger halfa’s marked shoulder, gripping his hip tight enough to leave a possessive bruise. He feels his end coming closer and closer, his gut coiling tightly. 

White hot pleasure flashed through Danny’s eyes and blinding pleasure coursed through his veins as he let out the loudest moan yet. His body tensing, back arching as he fell over the edge, His hole clamped down hard on Vlad’s cock, his dick twitching and squirting over the older halfa’s hand and spilling between them as his body shuddered from the intensity. His core raising in power sharply for the briefest of seconds as his world spun in delightful bliss. 

When Daniel unleashes the moan, Vlad feels his core spike with want at the sound, and at that moment, Vlad felt like his core was exploding with pleasure. Feeling Daniel clench around him so tightly makes the billionaire give a deep moan of desire, his body jerking as he shudders again when the younger halfa releases all over them. The image is what sends him overboard, a deep moan leaving his lips.

“Daniel..” Vlad groans deeply, eyes glazed with pleasure as his gut coils core before his cock gives a hard twitch, his orgasm being ripped from him in the most delicious way. 

The spike in his core meets the power of Daniel’s, eagerly wrapping around it for a moment before it quickly settles back down. 

Soft pants escape from his lips as he comes down from his high, lips gently kissing the flushing skin as they ride out their highs together.

Danny is breathless, chest heaving, core buzzing pleasantly in his chest. He gazes up at the ceiling absentmindedly, still dazed from the overwhelming orgasm. A soft smile on his face as he tries to catch his breath, his body trembling slightly.

He hums in contentment as he feels Vlad kiss his neck, feeling every little move of the older halfa against his skin, his senses feeling over sensitive at the moment. 

Moving a hand from the man’s back, he cups the strong cheek, bringing Vlad’s lips close to his in a tender and affectionate kiss, conveying all of the love he had for the older halfa in that sweet gesture. 

He then presses their foreheads together, panting as he looked at Vlad’s beautiful face. He smiled brightly, observing the older halfa’s charming blush on that tanned skin. How the usually flawless lovely silver strands were wild, the man’s lips kiss-swollen. Those deep sapphire blue orbs mirroring the contentment he felt.

He closed his eyes, feeling drunk with happiness as elation filled his heart, core purring in delight. This moment right here. This blissful companionship of the one you trust. Of being completely vulnerable with each other, body, mind, and soul, and feeling completely at ease. Safe. Basking in the warmth of the one you love.

This was his paradise. His heaven. Here with Vlad. 

Only Vlad.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Whenever Daniel cups his cheek, Vlad flushes a light shade of pink, his heart melting at the tenderness behind his lover's eyes. It sends sparks of joy and contentment through every nerve in his body, his core blazing with love for the other halfa. There wasn’t anyone else that could make him feel a whirlwind of emotions, no one else that managed to take his breath away with a bright smile or could make his core sing with pleasure. No one in this world or the ghost zone could make him submit and give away his control. All but Daniel. 

The delicate and loving kiss causes his core to purr with pleasure, singing in delight at the precious moment they share. Vlad slowly kisses back, pouring all of his love into it as well, one hand resting on Daniel’s while the other runs through the disheveled hair. Their emotions combined with the gentle touches is what claims Vlad’s heart, never feeling so at ease before. 

At one point in time, having control and power over everything was what he strived to achieve, but now he realizes there was nothing that could compare to this. This was all he could want and all that he would ever need. 

Vlad’s heart and core do a flip at the beautiful smile that was bestowed to him, contagious in a variety of ways. The billionaire returns the smile, letting his thumb trail along the pink lips, memorizing the shape of the smile. 

There was no one else Vlad could imagine doing this with, no one else he wanted to do this with. 

“You mean the world to me, Daniel.” Vlad confesses softly, smiling more at the younger. “You’re the only one that matters.” He says, heart thudding with happiness as he strokes the other halfa’s warm cheek.

Danny’s breath is taken away by the confession. By the pure raw emotion displayed in that deep sapphire gaze as those words are softly spoken, the tender flutter of warmth that coils around his core and the soft touch to his sensitive cheek. 

Words would not come. How could they?

In his entire life, no one had ever expressed such raw devotion and love towards him. Never looked at him the way those sapphire pools did. How they seemed to stare straight to the very depths of his soul, of his very self, and somehow still want him.

Him of all people. 

*You are nothing. A loser who is destined for failure*

The nightmarish words rung in his head, and he couldn't help but feel their biting truth.

A useless 18 year old who can barely keep his shit together. Who always seems to mess up and hurt those around him. Who fails so miserably, that he can’t even get into the worst colleges.

He lowered his gaze, conflicting emotions dancing around in his heart. He could feel indescribable joy from the confession, of being so fully loved by the man he loves. But there were also fears of inadequacy. Of not being able to live up to such a high expectation.

He shifted so his head rested against the older halfa’s broad chest as his core did a few restless twists, his hand squeezing Vlad’s and his other arm tightening its hold. He swallowed a lump in his throat as fear curled in his mind.

What if he screws this up just like everything else? 

Numerous emotions surrounded Daniel and Vlad was careful to not look too deep into them, his warm hand carefully stroking through the dark and disheveled hair. Not that he could blame the teenager for the spike in his restlessness, knowing that his confession must have been unexpected. Vlad doesn’t regret his confession in the slightest, the urge for Daniel to know the sincerity of his emotions had built up until it was practically boiling over. 

This was the closest he could get without confessing entirely, not yet feeling courageous enough to admit the raw love he felt. To confess those words was a finality that neither of them were ready for, far too soon to admit to the strong emotions that coursed through them. 

It was one thing to feel the sensation of love and affection, but it was another to outright state it and let all their walls come down. As much as he desired to say it and as much as he wanted to hear it reciprocated, there were some lines that couldn’t be crossed so soon. 

Vlad’s core pulses out comfortingly when Daniel presses against his chest, a content sigh from his core that wraps around the icy one. He places a soft kiss to the top of the black hair, lingering for a moment as he relishes in the gentle contact. 

The billionaire was more than willing to stay sheathed inside of Daniel, the connection between them still offering a wonderful feeling, but he knew that it was bound to come to an end. He closes his eyes as he places a final kiss on the teenager's head. 

“I’m going to pull out now, okay?” He warned softly, not wanting to surprise the other.

Danny’s cheeks tinted a bit darker, embarrassed by the warning, and hid his face further within Vlad’s chest as he gave a single nod. He felt kinda out of place in this new dynamic they had developed with each other. All of the intimacy, both physical and emotional, kinda left him thrown for a loop now that he wasn’t in the heat of the moment. 

He flinched slightly as the older halfa pulled out. Not from pain, but from the sheer oddness of the feeling. His body felt more sensitive than usual, especially in that area, and it felt strange losing that fullness as it slipped out, feeling even more embarrassed when slickness oozed out from his hole and between his legs. 

An awkward silence permeated the air around the two halfas. 

Now what?

Vlad’s gaze softened when he felt the whirlwind of emotions return, knowing that the younger halfa was likely struggling with the change in whatever they were. Not that he could blame Daniel either, this was something new and uncharted, and there was no telling what would become of it. Still, the billionaire figured that he needed to take charge of this, to ensure the younger that it was going to be okay. One of the last things he wanted was for Daniel to fret over the change and worry more. From how his life was at the moment, the younger halfa already had enough stress that plagued him. 

While he didn’t regret doing those acts together, Vlad did feel a sense of guilt at having added another secret to Daniel’s already hectic life. Not just that, but this was something that was no doubt hard to understand for the eighteen-year-old, who had been his enemy for two years in the past. To go from arch-nemesis, to whatever they had now was a complete and radical flip, it changed their relationship wholly. There was no wonder why Daniel felt nervous or awkward, but Vlad decides to follow his instinct and lead the other slightly, wanting to prove that things would continue as normal.

Danny’s thoughts returned to last time they were intimate. Exhaustion and sleep had claimed the younger halfa, and while he still felt the exhaustion he had yet to recover from various sleepless nights, he was far from sleepy. It was also mid-morning, and there was an entire day ahead, not to mention school he should probably go to. Even though he would make it there late, he should probably still go, as he would not be able to come up with a viable excuse this time as to why he missed classes again. Using the ‘ghost attack’ excuse twice was probably not a good idea. Vlad also likely had things to do on his end. Clockwork knows the man has probably already set aside quite a bit for him lately. 

*Burden*

Shaking off that last thought, he shifted in the bed, moving away from that warm embrace reluctantly, his core giving a sad flare as it was separated from the other. He winced at slight pain in his backside with the movement, and he flushed darker. Very much reminded of what had just occurred between them.

Shifting to the edge of the bed, he paused and hesitated. Was it okay to get dressed? Was it over? Would it be weird? Should he stay until Vlad made a move to give up? Was he being a dick if he did start getting dressed first? 

Maybe he was overthinking things.

Was he overthinking things?

Gah!! Why did this have to be so complicated!

Vlad’s core gives a slight shudder at their separation, wanting to reach out for the ice that tempts him closer but ultimately settles back into his chest. Vlad smiles a bit and sits up, reaching to gently ruffle Daniel’s hair and secretly enjoy the flush on the pale cheeks. 

They both have things to do and Vlad knows he can’t use the excuse of a ghost attack again without Maddie either becoming suspicious of him, or going into full overprotection mode, and Daniel does not need that right now.

“You’re welcome to stay if you want, but I figured you’d want to try and head to class. I’m not sure if your mom will believe another ghost attack excuse.” Vlad smirked, teasing slightly in hopes that it will prove that things wouldn’t change with them.

Danny takes a look at Vlad for a moment, then his face softens into a gentle smile, beyond relieved that Vlad seemed to understand his predicament.

He nodded with a slight chuckle. “You never know. You have no idea the things I get away with using the ghost excuse.” He joked back as he looked around for his clothes. “But yeah. It wouldn’t be good to push it.” 

He suddenly stilled, face blushing as he realized exactly where his clothes were.

In the dining room.

He soo wished he had Vlad’s teleporting abilities right now…

As it was, he gathered the nearest sheet, doing his best to wrap it around his naked bottom while at the same time trying to bunch it up enough so he didn’t trip when he was ready to get up from the bed. All the while he was internally cursing how stupidly long a king-sized sheet was.

His face reddened even more out of embarrassment. He must look like such a dork right now... 

Vlad’s core buzzed with delight as the younger halfa’s mood seemed to brighten considerably, relieved to know that the atmosphere was gradually improving. Up until this moment, Daniel looked to be growing increasingly worried and jumpy, the awkwardness after their intimacy hitting hard. Still, that experience would forever be inscribed into his very being, the memory and the emotions behind it something that could never be forgotten.

At the same time as Daniel, the billionaire had came to the realization where their clothes had ended up and found himself blushing as well, slightly embarrassed. His cheeks flushed a light shade of pink, everything else starting to come together after their bliss had ended.

Before Danny rose off of the bed with the sheet trail of the century, an idea suddenly struck him and he felt like giving himself a facepalm, resisting the urge only because Vlad was in the room.

Transforming into Phantom, which meant he was still clothed, he went intangible, sinking through the bedroom floor. 

Before Vlad could get up to clean himself or retrieve his clothes, Vlad feels his heart flutter at the sight of Daniel wrapping the sheet around himself, core barely resisting the urge to send a warm pulse.

There was something heartwarming about seeing Daniel wrapped in one of his sheets, the possessive side of him practically purring in pleasure. As he plans on summoning their clothes, he notices the other halfa transform and vanish, likey going to grab them.

While Daniel flew down to retrieve his clothes, Vlad puts on a pair of boxers and heads into the bathroom to wash his hands and clean his chest from the aftermath of their activities

Danny flew down to the dining room, and stopped, floating in confusion when he did not see either of their clothes in the area. 

“Rruff!”

He turned to see a smiling, Cujo, next to which there were two piles of clothes, his and Vlad’s. The ghost pup having piled their clothes in the corner and was now looking up at him with a knowing look. 

Phantom’s face tinted green, and he looked away in embarrassment as he flew over to gather both his And Vlad’s clothing, only to spot Maddie looking at him silently, with the same damned smug look.

His face flushed deeper and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I get it. Ya’ll know I got laid, ok?” Trying to cover his humiliation by calling it out.

“Ruff, Ruff!” Cujo’s bark was more proud, Maddie purred softly, nuzzling at his ghostly legs and meowed, given another nuzzle as if to say she was happy. Danny shook his head as his blush deepened, deciding to just grab their clothing and flying back up to the bedroom quickly, trying to hide as much of his embarrassment from the two pets as he could.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

After Vlad cleaned himself up in the master bathroom, he headed back to fix the bed.

He smiles at the messy bed, core giving a soft purr at all they had done not too long ago. Vlad takes the sheets off and tosses them into a hamper in one of his closets, replacing them with a clean set as he makes the bed.

Vlad had just finished making the bed when Daniel arrived, his eyebrow raising in question.

“Is something the matter, little badger?” He hummed, accepting his clothes with a thanks.

Danny continues to look annoyed towards the floor as he hands Vlad his clothes, his core sending a cooled pulse of happiness when their skin made contact, for which the teen chose not to focus on. “I think your bad influence has extended to our pets. They're inheriting your smug look.” He declared, green blush tinting his cheeks, his core purring at the word ‘our’.

After handing Vlad his clothes, he walked towards the bathroom connected to the bedroom.

Hearing that simple sentence made Vlad’s core give a jolt in excitement, his heart threatening to beat out of his pleasantly constricting chest. ‘Our’ was a powerful word that provided a sense of unity and completeness, and in all honestly, it took his breath away at hearing it come from Daniel’s lips. Smiling softly, he allows his core to give a soft pulse of warmth, letting it linger for a moment, before it quickly retreats. 

“Is that so? I certainly hope our pets pick up something from you to counterbalance it then.” Vlad teased, unable to help himself from using the same word, core brightening up at the intimacy it brought forth, even offering another pulse in pure bliss and happiness. 

That would have to be marked as another thing he would never forget, because the purring in his chest would never let him disregard such a wonderful moment. As he gets dressed, Vlad muses about the change in his personality over the years, specifically in the last year.

Never in his life had he believed he would become this warmhearted or sentimental, having been accustomed to the bitter and lonely man he had become. The change was strange, but very much welcomed by him with open arms, glad to see that the horrible and hostile halfa from the past was gone. 

Danny had paused inside the bathroom in shock at how extravagant the bathroom looked. And the size and depth of that tub!

He bit his lower lip. Very much feeling an urge to just screw school for another hour or two and just rest in that delightfully looking jet tub. Oh… to feel those jets against his weary sore body and the heat of the water against his skin. That would be delightful…

But alas, he could not.

Closing the door, he transformed back to human, gazing at the mess he was in the large mirror with a bright red blush, the embarrassment increasing tenfold as he felt more liquid ooze from his backside. Trying not to transform into a tomato, he quickly cleaned himself up with a rag, being especially gentle with his sore ass, then got dressed. While his clothing hid the markings on his body, his hair looked like a hurricane blew through it, and he tried desperately to get his hair into some semblance of normal.

He took one last look at himself in the large mirror, once again approving of the black long-sleeved turtleneck shirt and jean combination he had found earlier this morning in his room. Finding that his hair, still not fully normal and disheveled, actually looked good with what he was wearing.

Deciding there was nothing else he could do to fix in his appearance, he stepped out of the bathroom and walked over to Vlad, rubbing his hand behind his neck in slight awkwardness as he gazed to the side. “W-Well, I guess I better get to school…” Sky blue eyes glanced at Vlad’s face, his expression a bit shy. “See you later tonight, maybe?” He said unsure. “F-For our, you know… training session?” He interjected, quickly making up a viable reason for such a quick visit. Slightly worried that the older halfa might already be getting sick of him, but also wanting to continue spending time with the man.

Vlad’s attention turned to the younger halfa when he returned from the bathroom, enjoying the way the clothes fit on the eighteen year old’s toned frame, the shirt outlining the defining and toned muscles. He catches the nervousness that returns and carefully places a hand on the other’s shoulder and gives a warm smile.

“Of course, little badger. I remember you stating that you wanted me to teach you how to create spectral weapons last week. I think it would be a good training exercise.” He says, letting his fingers carefully trail through the black hair. 

“You’re always welcome over here, Daniel, training or not. I prefer having you here.” Vlad reminded with another warm smile, letting his hand drop away for now. “You should head to school, though, before I’m tempted to keep you here again.” Vlad teased, taking a step back.

His heart gave a small flip, his core sending a short spike towards Vlad at those words, quite overjoyed that the older halfa wanted him around as well. And he was going to learn how to create weapons out of energy? Hell yeah!

He hopped into the air, white rings parting and transforming him back to Phantom in a rush of light, hovering for a moment in the air. Not quite sure how to end their little… encounter.

Half of him wanted to kiss Vlad goodbye, but half of him was just not ready for that kind of intimacy yet. Which was weird in his opinion after what they had done, but it still felt even more intimate somehow.

And then there is the cheesiness of the thing. But, did Vlad like cheesy? 

Did he like cheesy? 

Internally cursing his inexperience with romantic relationships (or whatever this was) he suddenly realized he had gone silent for a bit longer than appropriate, a slight green tint on his face at the realization. “W-Well, I guess I will see you then…” He offered lamely and awkwardly.

Changing his legs to his long spectral tail, he flew upwards, going intangible and flying out of the mansion and to the school.

  
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

  
Translations:  
Dostatochno khorosho? = Good enough?  
Tak prekrasno~ = Your beautiful~  
Ty dolzhen ostat'sya~ = You should stay~  
Ty ideal'nyy~ = You’re perfect~  
Moya~ = Mine~

**Author's Note:**

> Hope ya’ll enjoyed this first chapter of our story! Remember to leave a comment and kudo’s if you get the chance! We would love to hear what you thought of the story so far. :)


End file.
